Oh, Those Roomates
by AkiraDawn
Summary: The Sequel to Roomates! Cloud, Zack, Tifa and Aerith finally have made their house a home! And now they are the hosts to what they consider to be the best New Year's Eve party ever! Every guest may as well check their keys at the door.Rated M Cloti/Zerith
1. Gay for Practice

Oh, Those Roomates

The Sequel to 'Roomates'. I hope that you all enjoy it as much as the first!

I don't own Final Fantasy, it belongs to Square Enix

"And so since she…" Tifa gasped and nearly dropped the phone. "Cloud I gotta go!" She threw her phone down beside her without even saying goodbye and rose to her feet. Aerith was beaming all over. "Oh my god Aerith! Oooooh my god! It's so, so beautiful! Oh my god, _I_ want to do you! That's how much I love it!" Tifa said throwing her arms around Aerith.

"This is the one isn't it!" Aerith said backing up and taking Tifa's hands in hers.

"That's the one! That IS the one!" Tifa said excitedly. She stepped back to admire this beautiful gown Aeirth was wearing. It was December 28 and Aerith and Tifa had waited until the last minute to go on this gown hunting quest. The New Year's Eve Shin-Ra Gala was three days around. It was a formal affair and it was invitation only. In fact, it was nearly restricted to SOLDIER members and one guest only. Cloud had gotten an invite because of Zack. Zack talked someone into printing one extra 'fake' invitation for Cloud…which meant he and Tifa could go to this exclusive event at one of the nicest hotels in downtown Midgar. Tifa had only tried on three gowns before she found a beautiful strapless silver dress. The beading on it was incredible and the slit in the side of it was dangerous. The entire time Tifa was being fitted and pinned for alteration Aerith had tried on at least a dozen gowns before finding this one…with a huge price tag.

"Okay! Okay! Get me my shoes! I want to try it on with the shoes!" Aerith told Tifa pointing at her shoes.

"Okay, hold on! Aerith, Zack is like 6 foot tall are you sure these heels are high enough?" Tifa asked.

"Of course they are! Those are three inch heels!" Aerith said sitting down in one of the chairs to slip her shoes on. "Tifa! What are we going to do about my breasts?"

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked texting Cloud after she had so excitedly hung up on him.

"Well, I mean this dress is cut really low and it has like no back to it at all except for what ties around my neck. How are we going to push my breasts up and in?" Aerith asked reaching a hand up to Tifa to pull her up.

"It's okay…the alterations lady here can sew cups into that gown and then trust me no one at the gala will be looking anywhere but right above that rhinestone embellishment in the V of that gown." Tifa said. "By the way, how much does this thing cost?"

"It doesn't matter! Zack's going to buy it for me." Aerith said as Tifa slipped the chiffon band over her hand that held up the flowing train on this pink, and white chiffon gown. It had rhinestones in all the right places. It was truly a showstopper. Zack wouldn't have wanted her to put another dress on. This one was too perfect.

"You know you have to put a deposit on this today, right?" Tifa asked her.

"I know! Zack gave me 200 gil to reserve whatever I wanted. Do you think he should get a white tux or a black one? Oh god, he'd look great in either! I can't wait to see what he picks out!" Aerith said. "OH MY GOD TIFA! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS GALA! IT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!" Aerith could hardly contain herself.

"Okay, okay. I know. Aerith, we have so much to do today and I have to go visit my former roommate Tanzi in rehab on the 30th so we have to get everything ready for the after party we are hosting by tomorrow." Tifa said. Her former Roommate Tanzi had been in drug rehab for the past three months. Tifa talked to her often and she was completely clean and getting ready to get out. There were so many reasons to celebrate this New Year's Eve.

"I know we do, Tifa! Go get that lady so she can pin this thing and then we'll go to the liquor store so we don't have to fight the New Year's Eve crowd later this week." Aerith said. As for Zack and Cloud, they were waiting until the next day to get fitted for tuxes for this Shin-Ra gala. Though they wouldn't see Aerith and Tifa's gowns…the consultants here would pull it all together flawlessly. Soon enough the seamstress came over to pin and tuck on Aerith. Once every little pin was in place, Tifa helped Aerith carefully get out of this gown. Aerith slapped the down payment on the counter after she was dressed again. It was time to head to their next stop.

"So what are you wearing under your dress?" Aerith asked Tifa as they made their way to the closest liquor store to their house.

"I don't know for sure. I'll probably try to match the black gloves I'm wearing with the dress." Tifa said.

"I can't wait to pick out something to wear under that dress! I know it can't be much and it has to be from the waist down because of the way the top of the dress is made. Oh my god Tifa! We should whiten our teeth for the pictures! Oooooh do you think we should get spray tans!" Aerith was so excited.

"I'll do the teeth whitening thing but there is no way in hell I will ever get a spray tan." Tifa said.

"Hey, why aren't you getting the liquor from work like you normally do?" Aerith asked.

"Because New Year's Eve is the biggest night at the bar and I can't take anything because they will sell it all. That would have been a huge money making night for me, but I let them schedule someone else just for this event and our party." Tifa said. "I can't believe me and Cloud actually agreed to go through with this party, by the way."

"Why! It's going to be so fun! Everyone we like is coming! No one stupid is going to be there." Aerith said.

"I know, but you know how me and Cloud get nervous around lots of people. Of course, I'm running our own personal bar in our house so that will be great fun." Tifa said.

Tifa and Aerith made their necessary stops and boarded the 7:15 bus to go back home. They had their hands packed and it was quite cold today. In fact, it was snowing a little. There was a snow storm predicted for New Year's Eve actually and a white New Year's would certainly not be a problem. The bus was always cold and tonight wasn't an exception.

"Tifa, when we get home I'm going to put this bag on the counter and I am immediately going upstairs and putting together some flower ideas for your flowers and for my flowers!" Aerith said excitedly.

"Okay, remember I want lots of white in mine, can you do that?" Tifa asked.

"Of course I can! I can make anything you want!" Aerith said. The bus announced their stop and Aerith and Tifa joined a small crowd that was exiting the bus. They worried they would knock in to everyone with their hands so full. They were careful underfoot as to not slip on any ice left over from a previous sleet that had moved through a few days prior. Tifa clumsily opened the door and Aerith hurried inside; into the warmth of their home and immediately put her big bag down on the counter.

"Zack! Zack! I found a gown! It's so beautiful!" Aerith said running over to the couch and throwing her arms around Zack. I can't stay down here though! I have to go work on our flower designs!" Aerith said hurrying off upstairs and not even letting Zack get a work in before she ran off.

"That's great Aerith! Oh my god, I can't wait to see it! Hey, hey Tifa? Tifa, come over here! Who do you think would be a better gay guy? Me or Cloud?" Zack asked. It was one of those weird Zack questions.

"Oh god…" Cloud rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm sorry….what?" Tifa said sitting her bag down and taking her coat off.

"Here, watch Tifa, watch…I'm going to put my hand on Cloud's thigh…gayly. Watch how gay this is…" Zack said.

"No Zack! You're not doing any gay stuff to my thigh!" Cloud insisted.

"No, no, it's okay Cloud. This is just for practice, its just practice! Tifa are you watching how gay this is?" Zack asked.

"Um, no Zack. I'm not watching you be gay with my boyfriend. I'm emptying these bags." Tifa said spreading liquor out all over the counter along with a huge pack of paper plates and a few other things.

"Oh my god, Zack! No one is gay for practice! How many times must we go through this!" Cloud said.

"Yeah they are! You never know when you need to be gay, Cloud! If you don't practice how will you ever know how to put your arm around someone in a gay fashion!" Zack asked.

"You…make no fucking sense at all…when would I ever in my life need to know….oh my god never mind! I am not even going there…" Cloud said swatting at Zack.

"So Zack, if I came over there and say…flashed you. Are you saying that there wouldn't be as much as a twitch in your pants?" Tifa asked putting bottles into the cabinets above her.

"Tifa, I think you misunderstood…see this is _practice_. I am totally straight and I will come over there and prove it if you want." Zack winked at her.

"That's okay, honey. You keep on doing your gay practice thing. Me and Aerith were going to make out let you use that new camera to take pictures but since you're too busy being gay for practice I guess we'll let Cloud do it." Tifa said sarcastically.

"Okay, Tifa…you have my attention. Besides! Cloud wouldn't even appreciate that! So should I…" Tifa cut him off.

"Oh my god! I'm totally lying, dumbass! I just knew that would work to get you to stop trying to get me to judge your gay contest!" Tifa now had everything put away. Cloud got up from the couch and went over to her.

"Hey, wait where are you going? Our show is about to come on!" Zack asked Cloud.

"I'm going to do some majorly straight stuff with Tifa." Cloud said putting his arms around her and pressing her up against the counter. He kissed her neck.

"Hey, Aerith!" Tifa yelled loud enough for Aerith to hear.

"What!" She yelled back.

"Will you come down here and blow Zack?" Tifa asked her. There was a long pause before Aerith answered. Cloud was laughing into Tifa's back.

"Yeah! Why? Wait….is he doing that stupid gay for practice thing again?" Aerith said remembering the last time they went through this the situation was very similar.

"Yes! He is!" Tifa yelled at her.

"Oh my god! Zack that is so freaking dumb! No one practices being gay!" Aerith said coming down the stairs.

"Alright, you handle this…like Cloud said we are going upstairs and we're going to do straight stuff." Tifa said as she took Cloud by the hand and left Aerith to deal with Zack however she saw fit.


	2. Selfless Cinderella

"Don't invite Angeal. I just can't help but think Angeal is a closet pervert." Cloud said.

"That's the fourth guest I've suggested that you've been all don't invite them they're….whatever." Zack said mimicking Cloud. Cloud stared at Zack.

"I don't talk like that!" Cloud insisted.

"That's my generic guy voice that I use when I'm talking like another guy." Zack said.

"Do Tseng." Cloud insisted.

"Oh wow, Cissnei have you seen our new fax letterhead? It used to be black but now it's red." Zack said making fun of Tseng.

"Hmmm…that's good." Cloud said nodding his head.

"I've been working on it. Anyway, we have to invite Angeal! Angeal is so, so incredibly cool! He's not a closet pervert. I mean sure I have found a couple questionable magazines in his desk drawer but that's because he hasn't had a girlfriend in over a year and let's face it...he won't anytime soon. Besides, he won't stay long. He's not even going to the gala." Zack said.

"Fine you can invite him if you take off that girl that works the desk downstairs." Cloud said.

"What that blond? No, Cloud I can't take her off the list because this SOLDIER Second Class guy is trying to sleep with her and I was going to invite him." Zack said.

"She is a total bitch who is so full of herself it's sickening. I can't stand to see her when I swipe my ID card." Cloud said.

"Well, I know she's a complete bitch! Her boobs are fake too and she's had lypo two times but I'm just doing a public service here!" Zack said.

"Your public service isn't honoring the power of SOLDIER…it's getting your fellow SOLDIER members laid?" Cloud asked.

"Well, yeah! Okay, okay…you're right. The bitch and this guy have got to go off the list. That means…Angeal is on!" Zack said scribbling on their list of names. Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Cissnei and her boyfriend are staying the night for sure. I don't know about anyone else. I figure whoever wants to stay can but no one is staying in your room and no one is staying in my room. That's for sure." Zack said.

"I like the way that sounds. Hey there are two infantry guys I would like to invite. Is that okay?" Cloud asked.

"Hell yeah it is!" Zack said adding the names to the list that Cloud mentioned.

"There are two girls that Aerith wants to invite that she has known for a while. Does Tifa want to invite her rehab friend?" Zack asked. Cloud just shook his head.

"Zack…she's getting out of REHAB! I'm pretty sure the last place she needs to be is our house on New Year's Eve where she has the potential to drink and then want to do cocaine." Cloud said.

"Oh…I never thought of that. Okay, well it looks like we have a total twenty on our guest list and that includes you, me, Aerith and Tifa." Zack said giving their guest list one more look over. "It looks good, so we tell everyone tomorrow even though at least ten on this list already know about the party."

Aerith came in from work with three bags in her hands. They were full of all the decorations she and Tifa had picked out earlier in the week for this party. She also had a large bag of artificial flowers to practice making the arrangements for the gala as well as the centerpiece on their table for the party. "Hey, why isn't Tifa here?" Aerith asked stumbling in the door.

"She called and said that she was stopping in to see her former roommate Tanzi today and not tomorrow. She'll be in later." Cloud said. "Are those bags full of candles?" Cloud feared.

"Yes but don't worry they are unscented! They won't do a thing to your sinuses!" Aerith said excitedly as she pulled one of the candles out of the bag.

"Wow! That's…actually really pretty. So you and Tifa are going to decorate with these?" Cloud asked.

"Not just these! We have solid white lights that we got at the after-Christmas sale, and some other things that will make this party unforgettable!" Aerith said.

"Aerith? You wanna go get something to eat?" Zack asked as he and Cloud looked over their list once more.

"Yeah, hold on. Let me take this stuff upstairs." Aerith said heading upstairs with her hands less full than what they were.

"You want to go?" Zack asked putting their list on the table in front of the couch.

"That's okay. I'm going to wait here for Tifa." Cloud said. Aerith came bouncing back down the staircase.

"Okay, well if she gets in soon call us and we'll wait on you." Zack said standing up. He and Aerith grabbed their coats and left for town. Zack could have just met Aerith instead of her riding the bus home and now going back to Loveless Avenue but Aerith didn't mind. Once Zack and Aerith had left, Cloud got up to see what leftovers they had in their refrigerator. The potato soup they had fixed a couple nights ago would be perfect on this December evening. Cloud hated that darkness fell over Midgar by 5:00 everyday. It made the nights so much longer, especially when Tifa worked late. Since she was visiting her roommate Tanzi, Cloud didn't bother warming her up any soup yet. He would wait until she got in. Cloud didn't mind being alone in the house, it was peaceful but he loved it so much when it was just he and Tifa in the house. They loved Zack and Aerith dearly but my god they could both be a handful sometimes. Actually, Cloud had spent more time alone in the house in the past couple months than he had since the four of them moved in. In a shocking and unexpected turn of events, Cloud had been laid off from Shin-Ra for nearly the entire month of November. It wasn't his fault….Shin-Ra laid off 200 infantry workers and Cloud was one of the lucky ones to have gotten hired back the last week of November because of his good work record. Cloud had been so depressed over it; Zack picked up his part of the rent for November and Tifa worked six hours extra on the week to help pay him back. Zack had insisted a hundred times that he didn't want to be paid back but Cloud felt too guilty over it and Tifa hated seeing Cloud that upset. Tifa had made November so much easier on him in so many ways. The one good thing that had come out of everything was that Shin-Ra drew up a contract with Cloud for him to sign indicating that there would not be a chance he would be laid off again while he was employed with Shin-Ra.

The front door opened at 7:30 and Tifa walked in. "Hey, you want some soup?" Cloud asked her sitting a now empty bowl on the table.

"That's okay…not right now. Maybe later." She said taking off her coat and putting her purse on the barstool. There was something in her voice, something in her body language that wasn't right.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked her.

"I um…I need to talk to you and um…I understand if you're upset with me. Where are Zack and Aerith?" Tifa asked.

"They went into town to get something to eat." Cloud said. "Come here, what's going on?" Tifa sat down beside him on their couch. She had a nervous and sad look on her face.

"I…I did something…tonight. Okay, you know how Tanzi, my former roommate, is getting out of rehab tomorrow?" Tifa asked looking at Cloud with worried eyes.

"Yeah." Cloud said studying her closely.

"Well, she's clean…she's totally clean. She hasn't had a line of cocaine since September. That's the good news. In order for her to be released tomorrow, she has to show proof to her case worker and the board that she is capable of living on her own. She already has proof that she got a job as a customer service representative at a firm in town and she was even able to get an apartment with a pretty straight-laced girl. But…she…she needed some money. If she didn't have this money to her landlord tomorrow…her case worker and the board would deny her release…even though she's ready. It's not like she spent the money she needed to get to the landlord…she had to use that money to go to a doctor for a clean report to send to her employer." Tifa paused and took a deep breath.

"Okay, this is the part you're going to be upset at me over. I gave her the 300 gil she needed to give to her landlord. She didn't ask me for it…I offered it to her. Cloud the…the money…that was…that was the amount of money I put down on my gown to reserve it. So, I went and…got my deposit back and took the 300 gil to Tanzi. I…can't go to the gala because I can't pay for that gown now. You can go though, just go with someone else and…" Cloud put his arms around her and cut her off.

"First of all, I'm not upset with you. Secondly, there is no way in hell I would go to that gala with anyone but you, and lastly…that is the most amazing thing you did. You realize Tifa, you gave her a clean slate…a new start. Without you…god only knows what would have happened." Cloud squeezed her tighter. She may have been crying a little but Tifa wouldn't have ever admitted it.

"But I wanted to go to the gala and I know that you did too and now I just ruined all our plans. My god, Aerith is going to be so mad at me." Tifa said.

"Of course we wanted to go but…it's just one night. You saved her Tifa…you saved her life. You amaze me. It just…breaks my heart that I can't buy your gown the way Zack is going to buy Aerith's." Cloud said sighing and burying his nose in Tifa's hair.

"Cloud, I never expected that from you." Tifa hugged him tighter against her.

"I know you never expected it…which only makes me wish that much more that I could do it for you. You never ask for anything, Tifa. Sometimes I wish you would just so Aerith doesn't get it all; all the time." Cloud said. Tifa smiled. As hurt as she was over feeling like she ruined their New Years plans; she also felt relieved that Cloud wasn't mad at her. In her heart, she felt like she did the right thing. Getting a friend back on her feet again was a better way to start the New Year than wearing a silver gown into it.

"Hey you know what? I still have 125 gil. The gown cost 425, I gave 300 to Tanzi which leaves us with 125. You know what that means?" Tifa asked.

"No…what?" Cloud questioned her.

"That's way more than enough to get season nine of Shark Explorer on DVD! There's a special bonus disk where this guy goes to this river and throws raw pieces of meat at hungry piranhas!" Tifa said excitedly. Cloud laughed.

"Why do you enjoy violent fish?"

"Hey! Sharks are not violent unless provoked!" Tifa insisted poking Cloud in the chest.

"I swear to god Tifa, someday I'll give you everything you deserve. I only wish that someday were today." Cloud said a bit despondently. If only he hadn't gotten laid off in November they wouldn't be so financially strapped. He felt like it was all his fault when in fact it was anything but his fault.

"I already have everything! Look! I have you! Every day I get to have you…in more ways than one. I have this beautiful house, I live with my two best friends, and I have a great job. What more could I ask for?" Tifa asked letting her face rest on Cloud's chest. He did his very best to conceal the tears in his eyes. Just this once he wanted his Cinderella to ask the fairy godmother for a magic pumpkin. Cinderella asked for potato soup instead.


	3. A Pleasant Surprise

"Oh my god! Zack! Look at you! God, Zack! I want you to take me roughly in the Shin-Ra locker room and hope that the security cameras catch every bit of it!" Tifa said.

"That's the sweetest thing you have ever said to me! Come here, girl." Zack hugged Tifa. "And my god, that was highly detailed. You talk like you've done that before!"

"Aww, honey…I have done that before." Tifa said wrapping her arms around him.

"Really? How did you ever talk Cloud into that?" Zack asked taking her hands in his.

"It was his idea." Tifa said.

"I have_ got_ to start getting ideas from him! So you like it? Did I do good?" Zack smiled all over.

"You did wonderful! You and Aerith are going to steal away the entire gala tonight!" Tifa said. "But you know, you're dressed awfully early. I didn't think you two were leaving until 5:30?"

"Yeah, we're not leaving until then but I wanted to get dressed to make sure nothing was wrong that needed fixing. So, now I'll just go change until it's about 5:00." Zack said. The clock read 3:30 right now. "Hey Tifa? That's um…that's really something else…what you did. Me and Cloud talked about it last night. He was really upset that he didn't have the money right now to buy your gown. But oh my god…I wish you could have heard him talk about what you did. I want you to know that…if it were me in that same situation? I wouldn't have done it. I'm not as selfless as you. Me and Aerith…both of us need to work on that. I just…wanted to tell you that." Zack said sincerely. Tifa smiled.

"It was the right thing. Cloud and I will go next year. I'm going to go help Aerith get dressed. You are going to flip when you see her! And listen! Don't you dare get anything on that white tux jacket, you hear me?" Tifa said hurrying upstairs. Aerith had been so upset when Tifa told her she had given the 300 gil to Tanzi. Aerith wasn't mad…she was just sad. Cloud had decided to work today. It was a holiday so that meant holiday pay plus _double_ time and a half. He would be home in plenty of time for the party. He was due home at 7:00 that night. Tifa had said she was working as well when she and Cloud had talked about it the day before. She lied. She had given her shift away weeks before and she couldn't have gotten it back if she wanted it. She wanted to surprise Cloud by being home on New Year's Eve when he came through the door.

"Oh good! You're just in time to help me with my hair!" Aerith said as she wrapped a towel around her. She had just gotten out of the shower and was ready for Tifa to help her get ready.

"Sit down there on your bed. I'm going to get the hair dryer and some other stuff." Tifa said disappearing into Aerith's bathroom.

"Tifa? I really, really wish you were going tonight." Aerith said pulling a brush through her wet hair. "You aren't going to wear that awful t-shirt and those pants tonight are you?" Aerith asked a bit concerned and worried about Tifa's outfit.

"I'm changing later, don't worry." Tifa said.

"And what about the decorations and the food for the party?" Aerith wondered.

"I'm taking care of everything." Tifa said spraying something in Aerith's hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry…that sounded like a total bitch of me just now. As if it isn't bad enough that you aren't going tonight but then I bitch about everything that needs to be done for the party. I'm sorry, Tifa. I don't mean to make this harder for you than it already is." Aerith said remorsefully.

"It's okay. This is a hundred times harder for Cloud than it is for me, believe me. Now, did you decide if you wanted to wear your hair up or down?" Tifa asked her.

"I want it down and kind of…I don't know all curly and stuff." Aerith said. "Tifa? Do you think I'm selfish?"

"No, I think you're needy and spoiled but I don't think that you're selfish." Tifa said plugging up a curling iron.

"It's just that…there is no way in the world I would have given that money away like that. I didn't even pay for this dress; but even if I would have...there's no way I could have…" Aerith sighed. "All I've thought about is me and this beautiful gown and this gala and how me and Zack are going to get all the attention. I wouldn't have wanted all of this to be taken away from me. Wait…how am I spoiled?"

"I saw the price tag on that gown young lady. Zack must really love you to spend over 600 gil on a dress you are going to wear for five hours. That's why you're spoiled. Well, that's only one reason you're spoiled." Tifa said turning on the hairdryer.

The night before Zack and Cloud had probably talked for over an hour about what had happened. It was no secret that Zack made a lot more money than Cloud. In fact, Zack made 45,000 gil a year...Cloud made 22,000. It was another reminder of how Shin-Ra separated their ranks in more ways than just designated floors and designated uniforms. Cloud had poured his heart out to Zack about damn near everything that was on his mind. It was one of those conversations that put things into perspective for Zack and reminded Cloud what a good friend he had in Zack.

"Okay! We're done! Look at it and tell me if you want anything changed." Tifa said putting the finishing touches on Aerith's hair. It didn't take her long to dry it and curl it just the way Aerith had requested.

"It's perfect! It's perfect Tifa! Thank you! Thank you!" Aerith said trying to hug her but Tifa pushed her away because she hadn't finished spraying all the curls. She wanted to be certain to they would not fall out at the gala.

"Okay, hold still. I'm going to spray you and then it's time to start your makeup." Tifa said making Aerith cover her eyes as she engulfed Aerith in a cloud of hairspray. "Does Zack have the camera? I want you two to take tons of pictures tonight because me and Cloud want to see everything." Tifa said.

"Yes, he has it. Don't worry! We're going to take so many pictures tonight." Aerith said. The afternoon slipped away as Tifa put the finishing touches on Aerith's makeup. It was finally time to get her in her gown and show her to Zack. Tifa had completely lost track of the time as she was working on Aerith and it was now 5:00. What she was really thinking about is that it was already 5:00 and that gave her only two hours until Cloud got home. She wanted to be dressed and have all the beautiful New Year's Eve white and silver candles lit before he got home.

"Come on now! It's time to get in your dress and out the door. Listen, it's going to be cold tonight and it may snow so you and Zack be careful. Call if you need anything." Tifa said pulling Aerith's dress off the hanger.

"Okay, mom." Aerith said laughing at Tifa. She wasn't at all modest about shedding her towel and stepping in to her pink gown. Tifa stepped back and admired Aerith after she had her zipped and tied. It would have been so easy to be jealous of Aerith right now; how beautiful she was, and how in this moment everything seemingly revolved around Zack and Aerith…but Tifa wasn't jealous of her at all. She just stood there in awe of Aerith and how beautiful she looked. She was magical and Tifa was a part of that magic. Aerith smiled.

"How do I look?" she asked Tifa.

"Like a princess…I mean…maybe a kind of slutty one since that gown is so low cut and I'm staring at your breasts as if I'm going to fondle you… but still…a princess." Tifa said. "Come on! I want to see the look on Zack's face when he sees you." Aerith laughed and took Tifa's hand so she wouldn't fall all over chiffon layers going down the steps. "Zack come here!" Tifa called to him. It was the first time in his life Zack had been so speechless. Tifa wished she had _that_ look as the first picture of the night.

Tifa took the first pictures of the evening once Zack's initial 'oh my god' reaction had worn off and got them out the door. It was her turn now. She had a plan and if she did everything in the order she had planned in her mind; everything would be in place when Cloud came home. The first step was to arrange the candles…all fifty of them. Ten candles in the kitchen, fifteen in the living room, five in the guest bedroom, five in the adjacent spare room off the kitchen, seven in Zack and Aerith's room, seven in Cloud and Tifa's room and one to serve as the candle that would light the other 49. So why the potentially dangerous candles that could burn the house down? They all wouldn't be lit at one time and the sight of them would cast an ambience over this New Year's party to never be forgotten. Besides, all these candles were designed to burn themselves out after five hours and were bottom heavy so they wouldn't tip. It was going to be a beautiful sight when they were lit. Tifa spent the most time placing the candles in she and Cloud's room; she wanted them to highlight their red walls perfectly. Thank god they had blinds in the house and not curtains!

Phase two was to get the food on: stuffed mushrooms and potato skins in the oven and ready to bake, crock pot full of meatballs, two pies in the fridge, two plates of cookies set out that had been made the night before, and finally chicken tenders ready for frying in the skillet complete with the three dipping sauces that Zack _insisted _ on. Tifa had made a deal with him…if he wanted three dipping sauces…_he_ was going to make them. Finally, there was a huge amount of alcohol to be rearranged in the fridge to make room for a cheese ball and Aerith's stupid fruit plate that she assembled. Who the hell ate fruit on New Year's Eve? The champagne flutes were sitting out on the kitchen bar ready to be filled with champagne before midnight. Even though the gala lasted well past midnight, anyone coming to this party was going to be here by 10:00. Zack and Aerith especially weren't going to be without Cloud and Tifa when the clock struck midnight. Tifa looked at the clock. It was already 6:15. Tifa had less than 45 minutes to get dressed. She hurried upstairs and gave her and Cloud's room one last look over before getting in the shower.

It had been a rather dull night at Shin-Ra. Cloud and eleven other infantry members were working the delivery and maintenance floors tonight. Cloud had done four routine inspections tonight and now he was sitting at a desk with one of his fellow infantry members waiting for the clock to hit 6:30 so he could clock out and go home.

"Hey? What are you doing after you get off tonight?" he asked Cloud.

"Going home, taking a hot shower, and waiting for my girlfriend to get off work. There's a party at our house tonight. She and I are going to get the house ready before our guests arrive. You can stop by if you want." Cloud said.

"That's okay. My shift isn't even over until 2:00. I didn't come in tonight until 4:30. That's nice…having someone to spend New Year's with, that is." He said. "If you're having a party why the hell did you work tonight?" Cloud shifted his focus to the floor.

"It's kind of a long story. I don't really want to go in to it." Cloud said.

"I see. I heard that SOLDIER had some huge event in town tonight. That's half the reason this place is deserted tonight. There's also a snow storm predicted tonight. If that happens they'll be calling backup in here like crazy. If those reactors freeze tonight we're all screwed. They won't call you in though; hell you've been here for nearly ten hours haven't you?"

"Actually, I have now officially been here twelve hours. And I'm clocking out. Listen, Happy New Year I won't be anywhere near you at midnight but still." Cloud said picking up some of his things from the desk and heading for the elevator.

"Yeah, Happy New Year, Cloud. See you Wednesday." The man said. Cloud disappeared into the elevator and took it all the way to the locker rooms where he would change before leaving to go home. The truth was, part of him was too tired to have a party at his house tonight but he knew that would change when he got to see Tifa. He wondered how her night at work was going; how busy she must have been. By 6:40 Cloud had changed and clocked out. It was time to go out into the cold and catch the bus.

The house was filled with soft candlelight mixed with the light the lamps gave off. The house looked so beautiful but not nearly as beautiful as Tifa. Sure, it wasn't a silver ball gown but her strapless silver shirt with its flowing Grecian style turned her in to a goddess. Her black pants had a hint of shimmer in them. Tifa's smoky eyes shot up to the door as it opened. She smiled at Cloud who had a more than shocked look on his face.

"Hi." She said. Cloud just stood there in awe of her. He was partially shocked that she was home and not at work, partially shocked over how amazing this house looked and mostly shocked over how beautiful she looked.

"You're…home." Cloud finally said.

"Yeah. I lied about working tonight. I couldn't get the shift back after I gave it up. I just wanted to surprise you. I hope you don't mind." Tifa stood up and walked over to Cloud who was just standing there in his heavy coat that smelled of the outside world. She put her arms around him. He was a disaster compared to Tifa. He felt filthy and his clothes loomed with the scent of locker room. Her kiss was comforting and she didn't give a shit what she was wearing. Cloud wouldn't be able to express how happy he was to see her.

"I can't believe you're…home. You…look at you. My god you…you look so beautiful. Cloud put cold hands on her bare shoulders. It made her shiver and giggle. She wasn't ready for that icy feeling.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot I've been outside and…stuff." Cloud said pulling his hands away from her. He clenched his fingers in his fists. He seriously thought about shoving her down on the couch and having his way with her right there…but he wanted to get clean too badly.

"Come on, you're so cold." Tifa said pulling Cloud further inside from the closed doorway. "I'm so glad you're home." Tifa said. Cloud smiled and hugged her again.

"This is already like…the best New Year's Eve ever. Let me take a shower and then I'll help you in the kitchen. The house it's so….god I just can't tell you what it's like to walk in to this." They had three hours until Zack, Aerith and a slew of other guests arrived. Tifa didn't need any help in the kitchen but she could find others ways for Cloud to help her.


	4. Disappointing Angeal

Tifa dug her fingers into the back of the couch as she moved with Cloud. Tifa had to be careful that her feet didn't slip on the carpet. It would only take one slip for this to end very badly. That was one of the risks of having sex standing up…but that was the thrill of it also. Cloud had one arm around her which helped her keep her balance. As good as this was there was only one problem…it was 10:15. Party guests would be here shortly. This moment couldn't get more heated and they were running out of time. "Cloud…ooooh god Cloud." Tifa had been panting his name incessantly. When he was behind her like this he could put his hands all over her. Tifa was only undressed from the waist down however. The challenge was keeping her intact from the waist up and making a mess of her from the waist down…it was a sensual challenge. Tifa begged him to come all over her. They had to hurry and get themselves orderly and pull the food out of the oven before Zack and Aerith came in. The fact that they had to hustle made everything that much hotter…it was a sort of 'how long can we go' contest 'before we're caught'.

Neither Cloud nor Tifa were prepared for such an intense climax. It happened fast and it caused them both to gasp in pleasure. "Oooh god that was so good…" Tifa panted as she clenched the back of the couch with trembling arms.

"That was too good…we'll have to do more later." Cloud said. "We have to…to get those mushrooms out of the oven." Cloud struggled to catch his breath as he let gentle hands roam her body.

"Oh shit…you're right. Yeah, we should…not burn the food." Tifa said slowly turning around to face Cloud. She put limp arms around him.

"You know…we need to get the candles lit too. We blew them all out so they wouldn't burn themselves out. You…you hug me first and then I'll light the candles while you pull the food out." He said resting his head on her shoulder.

"That sounds perfect…what time is it?" Tifa asked. Cloud looked over her shoulder at the clock.

"It's 10:25." I guess we better move." Cloud said letting her reluctantly out of his arms. Now it was time to hurry around like crazy and appear as if they hadn't been having sex in the living room. Neither of them had gotten dressed so quickly. Tifa rushed off to the kitchen and Cloud rushed off upstairs to get the first of the candles lit. The house smelled wonderful as Tifa pulled things out of the oven and gave the crock pot a stir.

Cloud went through the house quickly lighting the candles. They had never moved so quickly to get things situated. By 10:35 they curled up on the couch and by 10:40 Zack and Aerith walked through the door. Aerith came in squealing because she was so cold. She said hi to Cloud quickly and ran upstairs as fast as she could.

"Oh my god! It's cold out there!" Zack said closing the door behind him.

"Hi! Did you two have a good time?" Tifa asked.

"We had an absolutely wonderful time. And I can't believe how much it's snowing out there!" Zack said handing the camera over to Cloud and Tifa.

"It's snowing?" Cloud asked.

"Hell yeah it's snowing! You haven't seen it? What have you been doing?" Zack asked. "I can't believe all these candles…okay I'm going to go change." Zack said leaving Cloud and Tifa. Tifa put her head on Cloud's shoulder. For a moment Cloud was a little upset that neither Zack nor Aerith had said a thing about how beautiful Tifa looked. But he also knew he was overly sensitive about _everything _these past couple days.

"Let's look at their pictures." Tifa said turning the camera on. "Ooooh look at that one! Oh this is a good one. Oh my god look at that ballroom. That one is just perfect!" Tifa said scanning through their pictures. "Cloud? What um…what did your tux look like?"

"It was black. It was solid black." Cloud said.

"Whoa…It looked hot didn't it?" Tifa asked with shining eyes.

"Well, I mean it was…okay…it….yeah it was hot." Cloud said. Tifa laughed. As they scanned through all the pictures Zack and Aerith had taken it was apparent to them that they wouldn't have fit in at this gala tonight. First, it was a strictly SOLDIER and Turk clientele in every picture and secondly everyone at the gala actually danced…and that would have made them both dreadfully uncomfortable. Aerith came hurrying back down the stairs.

"We had so much fun tonight! Everything was so beautiful! It was just so perfect and amazing and you should have been there and…" Aerith stopped herself. "I'm sorry…the house looks so great and the food smells wonderful. I didn't even thank you for that."

"It's okay, honey. I'm so happy that you and Zack had a good time tonight. The pictures are so good! We'll need to pick one out to frame." Tifa said. There was a knock at the door and Aerith hurried to get it.

"Wow, you two changed fast!" Aerith said opening the door to discover Cissnei and her boyfriend Riko were the first guests of the night. Cloud and Tifa stood up. Tifa wanted to get some of the alcohol out of the fridge and frankly, Cloud didn't want to leave her side.

"He lives in that apartment building right across from the hotel." Cissnei said stepping inside the door. She was referring to her boyfriend and how he had an apartment directly across from the hotel where the gala was held. Now here they were in much more casual clothes and a duffle bag in hand for an overnighter. It was apparent by Cissnei's hair and makeup that at one point tonight she had looked quite glamorous. "You look amazing!" she said.

"Really? You like _this_?" Aerith asked putting her hands on her long sleeved shirt and her slouchy pink pants.

"No! not you. You already got to steal everyone's thunder tonight. Tifa looks amazing." Cissnei said walking over to her and Cloud. One thing was sure about Cissnei….she was honest about everything. Cloud's face lit up. It thrilled him that Cissnei noticed how beautiful Tifa was. Tifa smiled.

"Thanks. Do you and Riko want something to drink?" she asked.

"Hell yeah we do! We don't care what just make it strong. This house looks lovely. The four of you sure do trust all the drunks that will be in your house tonight to not burn the place down." Cissnei said looking around. Tifa started pulling bottles out of the refrigerator.

"Do you two want to take your bag to your room? The guest room is upstairs at the end of the hall on the right. Don't worry the couch folds out and it's surprisingly comfortable." Tifa said.

"Okay, we'll go check it out." Cissnei said. Zack came down the stairs only to notice that Cissnei and Riko had gotten here without him knowing.

"Are you the first two here?" Zack asked.

"Yes, hey when we come back down here remind me to tell you about Tseng." Cissnei said.

"Oh god, is it good?" Zack asked going over to the couch with Aerith to look at their pictures.

"It's better than good. I'm going to give him hell about this for at least a year to come." Cissnei said.

"I can't wait for this." Zack said. There was another knock at the door as Tifa declared her 'bar' officially 'open'. It was four other SOLDIER 1st Class that Zack worked with. Aerith knew them but neither Cloud nor Tifa recognized them.

"Did you all come together?" Zack asked.

"Yes. We parked down toward the end of the street is that okay?" one of the guys asked.

"It's fine. Come here I want you to meet my roommate Cloud and his girlfriend." Zack said referring to the four of them. He got up from the couch again.

"Can I just say…oh hey guys." Cissnei said to the four SOLDIER who just walked in. "Anyway, you're room makes me want to do dirty stuff. My god! All that white on your bed and those red walls! It makes me want to go in there with Riko and…damn your room is hot!" Cissnei finished. She was referring to Cloud and Tifa's room. Tifa shoved something into Cissnei's hand and Riko's hand.

"I can assure you me and Cloud are going to do plenty of dirty in there later. Don't worry, you won't hear a thing." Tifa said winking at Cissnei.

"Oooh god, you're the best! I'm so glad I actually know you now!" Cissnei said hugging Tifa.

"So, what are you guys drinking?" Tifa asked the four SOLDIER who had just joined the party. While Tifa took care of that Zack declared himself the door greeter as there was another knock. Zack was delighted to see none other than Angeal Hewley.

"You smell like cigarettes." Zack said.

"Oh, I've been hanging out with a group that chain smokes like you wouldn't believe and then they drag me right now with them." Angeal admitted.

"Well, get in here! I'm so glad you made it!" Zack said. Aerith rushed over and hugged Angeal, which always looked so strange because he was so much bigger than she was. He had already heard about how Aerith and Zack stole the spotlight at the gala tonight.

"Holy…shit…who is that?" Angeal asked Zack or Aerith…whoever would answer him first.

"That's Tifa. Oh, that's right you've never met her. No, no Angeal. I know what you're thinking. She's Cloud's girlfriend." Zack said leading him over to the couch. Angeal laughed.

"You're bullshitting me. You always do this." Angeal was still laughing at him.

"No, man I'm serious! She's Cloud's girlfriend!" Zack insisted.

"Zack…there is no way a guy like your roommate…could ever…ever be with a girl like that." Angeal said still laughing. Aerith had wandered off into the kitchen and so she wasn't there to back Zack up.

"I am aware that Tifa is smokin' hot and that she seems an unlikely match for Cloud…but Angeal…I assure you the only one getting in Tifa's pants tonight is Cloud because _she_ is _his_ girlfriend." Zack said. Angeal was shocked.

"You're serious aren't you?" Angeal asked.

"Uh…YEAH!" Zack said. Aerith had come back over to the couch with them and presented some kind of beer to Angeal.

"Thanks sweetie, after what Zack just told me I need that." Angeal said. He shook his head. "I seriously thought I was gonna get laid tonight Zack. You have now crushed all those hopes." Zack laughed at him. "I mean come on! Every woman in Midgar…wants to sleep with a SOLDIER 1st class!" Angeal said still completely agitated by the fact that Cloud, an infantry guard, could possibly be with a woman like Tifa.

"That may very well be true Angeal, it may…but you won't get Tifa." Zack said. There was another knock at the door and Zack got up again to answer it. It was three of Aerith's friends this time. Aerith got up and ran over to them. She and Zack talked to them for a minute before Zack returned to Angeal. He was going to say something to Angeal but Cissnei came over instead and had to give him hell for not coming to the gala.

"What were you going to tell me about Tseng?" Zack asked Cissnei.

"Oh…honey…this has to wait until there are more people here. Don't worry, I'll tell you soon enough." Cissnei reassured him. Whatever dirt she had on Tseng it had to be good. This was quickly shaping up to be quite an entertaining New Year's Eve.


	5. Midnight Antics

Midnight was a mere twenty minutes away. Zack and Cloud had a house full that was for sure. "Can you shoot this stuff straight?" Angeal asked Tifa handing her a bottle of something strong. Tifa took a drink of whatever it was straight from the bottle. "What about this?" Angeal asked eagerly as he handed another bottle to Tifa. She took a drink of that as well. Angeal was delighted. "I'll marry you if you can do that to this 151 rum." Angeal said happily.

"In that case, I won't drink that one." Tifa said taking Cloud's hand in hers. "Would it help if I just told you that I'm a bartender for a living and I can drink anything straight?"

"Not really…it's just so hot that a woman can shoot this stuff right out of the bottle." Angeal said. It was apparent that he was drunk and didn't care what the hell he said to Tifa. Tifa took the bottle of 151 rum and took a long swig of it. She passed it over to Cloud.

"God, that shit burns going down." Tifa said. When it came to strong alcohol Aerith was a wimp and Tifa was a pro. Cloud handed the bottle to Aerith but she quickly handed it over to Zack without even taking as much as a sip.

"Did you seriously just take a swig of pure 151 rum?" Angeal asked of Tifa knowing good and well she had.

"I did."Tifa said putting her head on Cloud's shoulder.

"My god how I would take you home with me." Angeal confessed to her. Tifa ignored him because she knew that's the only thing that would deter Angeal from her.

"Okay, okay, okay…since we're quickly approaching midnight and I want to make this one hell of a New Year for everyone in this room. Now, most of you in here know my boss Tseng." Cissnei said.

"What the hell? Tseng is your boss?" Zack asked. Aerith was sitting on his lap at this point.

"Yes, dumbass…Tseng is my boss…he's the leader of the Turks! Anyway, you all know how straight-laced and serious he is. Well…TONIGHT IS GONNA BE HIS FIRST TIME!" Cissnei yelled. The reaction she got was exactly what she wanted. She loved giving Tseng hell and especially when he wasn't around. "Wait, wait….listen…he's 26 years old and he's NEVER, NEVER gotten laid. Let's all call him at midnight and totally fuck this up for him." Cissnei said. Zack was laughing hysterically into Aerith's back. She may have been being horrible to Tseng right now but she didn't care. "You should have heard him this week asking me all these questions. It must be some majorly desperate girl to be getting it on with Tseng tonight." Cissnei confessed. "See, I knew that would just make your all's night."

"Who the fuck is Tseng?" Tifa asked taking another drink of whatever was in front of her.

"He's the guy Cissnei wishes she was sleeping with." Zack said wrapping his arms around Aerith. He was still laughing at Cissnei.

"Fuck you, Zack." Cissnei said throwing her finger in the air at him.

"You wish you could." Was his comeback.

"You wish I would, bitch." Cissnei said.

"You _are_ a bitch."

"Well, you're a whore." Cissnei rolled her eyes.

"Takes one to know one."

"Did I say whore? I meant _man_ whore?"

"Oh yeah, you don't get paid to sleep around…you're just a slut...not a whore." Zack said. This could go on all night…

"Oh my god! It's midnight! Happy New Year! I love you Zack!" Aerith's sweet kiss shut his one line Cissnei insults up very quickly.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Cissnei and a handful of others shouted.

"Happy New Year, baby." Zack said to Aerith kissing her again. Tifa smiled at Cloud. She didn't say a word; she just wrapped her arms around Cloud and pressed her lips into his. As for Cissnei, her plan was to kiss everyone in this room starting with her boyfriend. Part of that was the alcohol running through her…the other part just Cissnei being Cissnei.

"I love you." Cloud said very softly to Tifa. He kissed her again, this time deeper and harder. It was the perfect way to usher in January. Tifa reached for the rum bottle again but was interrupted by Cissnei's New Year's kiss.

"You can kiss me too if you want. I won't mind." Angeal said to Tifa as she grabbed the bottle of rum off the table.

"That's okay, I don't think I will." Tifa said tipping the bottle to her lips. Zack! Here, let me see what kind of damage you can do to this bottle." Tifa said standing up and passing the bottle over to him. Cloud could taste vodka all over Cissnei's lips as she kissed him.

"Here, let me try that!" Aerith insisted taking the bottle from Zack.

"Aerith, oh my god! You have got to sit still. You are freaking crushing me in all the wrong places." Zack said trying to throw her to the other side of his lap.

"Zack, how do you think I feel half the time? You are always on me!" Aerith said. "This tastes like shit! Hey, hand me one of those wine coolers." Aerith said to whoever would hand her something.

"Honey, you are such a lightweight." Zack hugged her tighter against him now that he had shifted her over to his other side.

"Saved the best for last, baby." Cissnei said kissing Aerith.

"What the hell Cissnei you haven't even gotten to me yet!" Zack said.

"Don't give me that bullshit." Cissnei said kissing Zack.

"I swear to god, if you put your hand on my thigh again I'm gonna fuckin' break it." Tifa said to Angeal. Zack got a kick out of that. It was so unlike Tifa to be that crass with anyone but she had had it with Angeal.

"Here! Trade me places mother fucker! You cannot have her!" Cissnei's drinking mouth had officially taken hold. She shoved Angeal aside.

"See, you have me on one side of you and Cloud on the other. You're protected." Cissnei said.

"Awww, thank you honey." Tifa said.

"You're welcome!" Cissnei said. Conveniently enough, Zack grabbed his phone and called Tseng. The phone rang several times before it was answered.

"Okay! Everyone shut up I'm going to put him on speaker." Zack said switching the phone to its speaker feature. "Hey Tseng! Happy New Year, man! So….whatcha doing?" Zack asked as innocently as he could.

"Yeah, Happy New Year Zack. I'm kind of busy right now." Tseng answered. It took every ounce of self control that Cissnei and her boyfriend had to keep from laughing hysterically.

"Why are you busy? Why don't you want to talk to me on New Year's Day, Tseng? I love you, man! You're…freaking awesome. God, how you rock that suit out loud and shit?" Zack said. Aerith was trying her best to conceal her laughter.

"Zack…you have never complimented my suit before. How much have you had to drink?" Tseng said.

"More importantly, Tseng are you um…having a _safe_ New Year's Day?" Zack asked. Three other of Zack's SOLDIER friend's thought this was the funniest thing they had ever heard.

"What?" Tseng questioned.

"Tseng, remember….safe sex…is great sex. Happy New Year Tseng, bye!" Zack hung the phone up quickly before Tseng could say anything. Cissnei was screaming laughing. "Oh god….that was…" Zack couldn't finish that sentence for laughing at his conversation with Tseng. "Okay, okay…Aerith?" Zack asked wiping the tears from his eyes. "Aerith…I love you….so much…but…did you maybe pee on me just little bit?"

"I may have." Aerith admitted. Her sides hurt from her incessant laughter.

"Ooooh god you know what that conversation just reminded me of? Zack's stupid safe sex campaign on the SOLDIER floor! Cissnei said picking up her glass. Cloud and Tifa both moaned over that one.

"That was absolutely the stupidest thing he has ever done! What you don't realize is that after he was done on the SOLDIER floor he comes down to the infantry floor and continues his crusade!" Cloud said.

"Hey first, life _is_ unpredictable and it _is_ good to be prepared!" Zack said.

"That was his tag line before he handed a condom to whoever he walked up to." Cissnei clarified that for anyone that didn't know.

"Second, Cloud you said me putting six bags of microwave popcorn in the oven just to see what happened was the stupidest thing I've ever done. Lastly, I was just doing good community service! SOLDIER is about community!" Zack couldn't say the last part with a straight face.

"That idiot must have given out a hundred condoms that day." Angel said remembering Zack's 'campaign'.

"So what happened with the oven?" Cissnei's boyfriend asked Cloud.

"Well, we lost the security deposit on our previous apartment and had to replace the damn oven." Cloud explained.

"If I had one gil for every time they should have lost the security deposit _before_ that ever happened….ooooh god." Tifa shook her head and tipped a bottle to her lips again. "Tifa to the rescue…I was saving their asses long before me and Cloud ever started dating."

"Tifa! The headboard through the sheetrock was a complete accident and it did NOT happen the way you THINK it happened!" Zack tried to defend himself.

"And honey, to this day I still don't believe that story." Tifa said.

"Hey, can I use your laptop for porn and stuff?" Cissnei asked pointing to the laptop sitting on the small desk across the room.

"No, you can't!" Zack told her.

"Why! I want to litter it with questionable content! Actually….I just want to check my e-mail can I do that?" Cissnei asked.

"Yeah, sure you can do that. Aerith, go get the laptop for her." Zack said.

"Why? I'm drunk and comfortable on you." She whined.

"Aerith, you cannot call three drinks drunk. I've seen you at your worst…with like, I don't know ten drinks in you." Tifa insisted. Aerith reluctantly slid off of Zack and went to get the laptop.

"Thanks." Cissnei said as Aerith handed it over. "You two are so lame. You have Shin-Ra's webpage bookmarked. Cissnei clicked around and checked her e-mail. "Hey, someone go look outside." She requested.

"Why?" One of Zack's friends asked.

"Because I have an e-mail that says Midgar is in a level two snow emergency and they are going to start calling SOLDIER in to keep the reactors from freezing if it turns in to a level three. I'm not fucking going in. if they start calling in SOLDIER they will sure as hell call us Turks in. Shit, I'm drunk and soon to be half naked I'm not doing overtime tonight."

"Holy shit! There's at least two foot of snow out there. And whoa…I must be pretty drunk because I want to take all my clothes off right now." Tifa admitted.

"Please do that." Angeal begged of Tifa.

"Go to hell Angeal." Cloud said to him out of nowhere. Cloud must have had plenty to drink because that was unlike him.

"Oooooh my god! I love it! I've never actually heard you say something like that. Just for that I'm going to reach over there and mess up all that blond hair!" Cissnei said leaning across Riko with the laptop still on her and digging her fingers into Cloud's hair. "Shit! Look at this! I can mess it the hell up and it still pops right back in to place. You're too precious!" Cissnei leaned back over.

"I'm so glad to hear that my hair entertains you Cissnei." Cloud said.

"Oh it does sweetheart, it does. Hey Riko look what I'm setting as the desktop wallpaper." Cissnei said.

"God, you are so sick sometimes." Riko said draping one arm over her. Cissnei handed the laptop back to Aerith.

"What the hell Cissnei! I've been trying to get you and Aerith to do that for months. I gave up on Tifa." Zack said.

"Shut up Zack, you have not tried to get us to do _that_!" Cissnei insisted.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm totally not that sick. Now I have to go through the hassle of changing the wallpaper again because you fucked it up." Zack said.

"Hey, we're going to go. If it's already that bad out there we're going to have a hell of a time getting home." One of the four SOLDIER that had come together earlier said.

"Do you all want to stay the night?" Zack asked.

"Nah, that's okay we'll make it." One of them said.

"If you change your mind come back. Don't do anything stupid, do you hear me! Condoms can't prevent every accident…especially the ones that involve vehicles!" Zack said.

"We'll be careful. It was fun. You guys are great. See you next week." And with that the first four guests of the evening left.

"Seriously, Aerith…why do you sleep with him? Have heard the stupid shit that comes out of his mouth? My god, he can't possibly be that good!" Cissnei said laying over on Riko.

"You're so mean to me!" Zack said laughing at Cissnei. "Aerith will tell you…I'm five ticket thrill ride…but a hand stamp will do." He wrapped his arms around Aerith and kissed her.

"Oh please, Zack! You are as gentle as the tilt-a-whirl with her and you know it!" Tifa said. Both Riko and Angeal thought that was hilarious.

"Tifa! Come on! Why you gotta be that way?" Zack asked her.

"Because, I like to tell the truth, honey." Tifa said.

"Well, at least I'm not Cloud! Should we talk about the bruise, Tifa?" Zack asked.

"No, no! I don't want to talk about the bruise! It's gone anyway. There is nothing to discuss here!" Tifa said laughing.

"I have got to hear about the bruise." Cissnei said.

"You all aren't hearing anything until I get another plate of food!" Tifa said getting up from the couch. This party was anything but over.


	6. Cissnei Drops the F Bomb

It was 3:00 AM and everyone had left with the exception of Cissnei and Riko. Zack had thought at least someone else would spend the night but it looked like it would just be the terrible twosome tonight. Between the gala and this party; it had been such a fun night. However, things were about to change. Cissnei's phone rang.

"Hey Tseng! So are you still a virgin?" Cissnei asked. "Wait…what? Are you serious? We're in a level three snow emergency? Well, I'm not coming in. I've been drinking since fucking midnight, Tseng are you crazy!" Cissnei ran over to the window. "Look, I don't care if it's double time and a half, Tseng. I'm not fucking coming in. I don't _have_ to do anything! N…no! No! Look, call in whoever the fuck you want, Tseng. There are a hell of a lot of other Turks to….call Elena and whoever else you want! Call someone who doesn't have a life! Here me now Tseng…I'm not fucking coming in! Ooooh fuck you, Tseng! You are going to pay for this! I fucking swear I'm going to tell EVERYONE I know that you suck in bed! Fine! I'll see you in 30 fucking minutes!" Cissnei slammed her phone into the couch and shook her head. "I hope his cock is the size of a baby carrot. I have to go in! We are in a level three snow emergency, they already have a group SOLDIER at reactors one, three, six and seven. I have to go to the fucking seven reactor and oversee it! Once those reactors are sprayed with that shit they will be fine but it's getting them sprayed down that's the hard part. Fuck him! I fucking hate him right now! You two are going to be next. You will get calls, they've got too much crew in there now. They won't call you though, you're the lucky one." Cissnei said pointing a finger at Cloud.

"Do you seriously think they will call us?" Zack asked.

"She just said fuck seven times." Aerith said a bit randomly.

"Yeah they will! It's a matter of time. I have to fucking change. God! This is fucking bullshit!"

"Hey, wait! Wait! Before you flip the hell out listen just a minute. It's totally shitty that you have to go in but go and do whatever the hell it is Tseng wants you to do and then just come back and crash here. I make the best pancakes ever and though I wasn't planning on making them tomorrow I will since you three will likely be working tonight." Tifa said.

"She does make the best pancakes ever." Zack said. Cissnei sighed.

"Okay, okay…I'll simmer down. I'm sorry for flipping the fuck out. I gotta get changed." Cissnei disappeared upstairs and Zack's phone rang.

"Shit….here it comes." He answered it and certainly enough, it was Shin-Ra. Aerith had a heartbroken look on her face. The call didn't last long. Unlike Cissnei who would have argued Tseng to the death; Zack just agreed and said he would leave with Cissnei. Her boyfriend would likely be next to be called in anyway. He shoved his phone back into his pocket.

"Yeah, drunk Zack's going to reactor two. Thank god that's the closest reactor to the house." Zack said. "I'm going to go get a change of clothes and stuff."

"Well, I'm come with you." Aerith said letting Zack get up and stumble up the stairs. Once they were out of sight Riko awaited that inevitable phone call from Shin-Ra.

"Hey, I have to ask….I thought Aerith hated Cissnei?" Riko asked Cloud or Tifa.

"That's what we thought." They answered him in near unison.

"Aerith hated Cissnei until she found out that Zack was _actually_ telling the truth about not sleeping with her at Costa del Sol." Cloud said.

"Ooooh, okay." Riko said.

"Then she felt bad about hating Cissnei so much so one night at the bar they made out and they've been friends ever since." Tifa explained.

"Touching." Riko said a bit confused by that chain of events.

"Totally." Was Tifa's reply. Riko's phone rang. He knew it was the call that both Cissnei and Zack had dreaded.

"Looks like I'm going to reactor nine. Man….this is a bummer. We've had such a good time tonight." Riko said.

"It's been really fun. But don't worry, just come back here and crash. Start drinking when you get back if you want. We'll probably be asleep though." Cloud said. Riko stood up as Cissnei came back downstairs dressed and ready to go. It wasn't her Turk uniform but it would do on this cold and snowy night.

"Did you get called in to hell too?" Cissnei asked Riko.

"Yeah." He said going to the window to look at the massive amounts of snowfall.

"I love you. I want you to keep our bed warm until I get back. I'll be back as soon as I absolutely can, okay?" Zack reassured Aerith holding her tightly against him. She shook her head in agreement.

"I love you too. Be careful. I'll be right here and I won't be wearing much." Aerith said putting her hands on Zack's shoulders.

"You have no idea how much I'll look forward to that." Zack said. He kissed her and said goodbye along with Cissnei and her boyfriend.

"That's too bad they had to go in tonight of all nights." Cloud said.

"It is, but at least you won't have to go in." Tifa said snaking her arms around Cloud.

"Hey, I'm going take a hot bath and go to bed since everybody had to leave. Is that okay with you two?" Aerith asked from the stairway. "Listen, I swear I will clean up everything tomorrow. You did all the cooking and stuff and tomorrow I don't want you doing any cleaning. I'll do everything I promise. And I mean absolutely everything!" Aerith said. Tifa laughed.

"It's okay, honey. Good night. Tonight was great." Aerith slipped away upstairs leaving Cloud and Tifa alone on the couch. Cloud was tired as was Tifa. Cloud was staring seemingly blankly at the camera on the table in front of the couch. "You want to go to bed too?" Tifa asked. Cloud didn't say anything for a moment.

"I have an idea." Cloud said looking at Tifa carefully and then taking the camera off the table. "let's blow these candles out and light the candles in our room. Zack and Aerith have their pictures…let's go take our own. Only…they won't be quite as innocent as Zack and Aerith's." Cloud said. Tifa's face lit up.

"Let's take a bottle of champagne too." She said getting up from the couch and taking Cloud's hands in hers and pulling him up with her. It was just then that Cloud realized he was a bit dizzy. "You get the champagne. I'm…going to go lay some things out that you may or may not want to dress me in." Tifa said letting her fingertips slip out of Cloud's hand. Cloud watched her as she slipped up the stairs. She could frazzle his mind instantly and right now it was. Once Tifa was in their room she lit all the candles. It looked beautiful as the soft light danced on red walls. Tifa quickly had the white comforter on their bed covered with damn near everything that was in the drawer beside the bed. Cloud was close behind her. Her eyes shot to the door as she heard it close. The house was so quiet compared to what it had been. Tifa smiled.

"You brought champagne flutes?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah, why not? You might look really sexy with one of these in your hand." Cloud said. Tifa laughed as she watched Cloud open the half empty bottle of champagne. "Put this on." Cloud said pointing to something black that Tifa had laid across their comforter.

"Okay…but you can't watch. I'm taking my champagne and I'll be right back." Tifa said keeping her eyes on Cloud as she slipped into their bathroom.

"Why did you offer to make your amazing pancakes tomorrow? You should have…been selfish. You should have told Zack and Cissnei and her boyfriend to…just deal with the fact that they got called in to work. If you could be selfish for a day, what would you want? Like if you had one day all to yourself what is it that would make you happy?" Cloud asked. Tifa emerged with her champagne flute. She was more beautiful than Aerith could have even tried to be…well Cloud thought so at least. Tifa stood at the bottom of the bed. "Holy…shit…" Cloud nearly choked on the champagne.

"So…what did you have in mind?" Tifa asked.

"No, no, no…tell me first. If you could have anything you wanted for a day what would it…be?" Cloud asked her again.

"Well…" she took a sip of her champagne. "I would want a morning where Aerith doesn't wake me up with the hairdryer. I would order anything I wanted at Shamsky's for lunch and not worry about how many calories was in it. Of course I wouldn't go to work. I'd watch Shark Explorer all afternoon even if every episode were a rerun. But, I wouldn't want to do any of that if you couldn't be with me." Tifa said. That was it? That's all she would ask for if she could be completely selfish for a day? It was proof that all Tifa wanted were the simplest things in life to be happy.

"I…will make sure that happens for you Tifa. Now, why don't you turn the lamp on over there and lean against the wall?" Cloud asked her. Tifa smiled.

"Okay." She said doing exactly that.

"Now, put this arm over your head and look at me. That's perfect. Now…pull this shoulder off and um…leave your fingers in the strap." Cloud asked her.

"Like this?" Tifa questioned.

"Yes, yes….now look the other way and close your eyes." He said. Cloud sighed at the irresistible sight of her. "Alright…uh…oh god…um…now just look at me." Tifa looked at Cloud with big brown eyes.

"What should I put on next?" Tifa asked taking a drink of champagne.

"The pale blue but just this part." Cloud said. Tifa eagerly took the silky pale blue underwear and hurried away again to change. She emerged again naked from the waist up and barely clad from the waist down. Cloud had to sit his champagne flute down this time. "Oh my god if you only knew what was going through my head right now."

"I know what's going through your pants, so I think I have an idea." Tifa said walking toward him. Cloud picked up his champagne flute up again with a slightly trembling hand. He watched her carefully. He shifted his eyes to the rhinestones that traced Tifa's hips.

"Trade me places. Like…stand on your knees and cross your hands over your chest." Cloud told her. "Yeah, yeah stop right there don't cover anything else. Now just arch your back a little. Look at me." Cloud swallowed hard. "God, that's perfect. Now move your hands to your hips." Cloud said. "Oooh my god you read my mind." Cloud said as Tifa slipped her thumbs into the slinky rhinestone sides and began to tug her barely there underwear off her hips. It made for a beautiful picture.

"Okay…one more. Hold this champagne flute in this hand and put your other hand behind your head." Cloud said. Even Tifa knew he couldn't take much more. She had at least seven other things laid out on their bed but she wouldn't get to any of them. "I don't think I can resist you another minute. You tell _me_ what to do." Tifa smiled.

"Come here. I want you to be in the next picture." Tifa said reaching a hand out toward Cloud.


	7. A Cold Night

"Ssshh! Zack stop bitching! My god you are going to wake everyone up and then Cloud is going to own your ass!" Cissnei said as she, Zack and Riko stripped soaking wet and cold clothes at the door. It was 4:32 and they hadn't been gone as long as they feared. Still it was long enough and now they were miserably cold, soaking wet and exhausted.

"You stop telling me to stop bitching! These clothes are freezing cold! My hands are about to fall the hell off! Cissnei, there are parts of me that…you know what never mind!" Zack insisted.

"Oh my god…Zack you gotta help me man! I'm stuck in this sleeve! Oooh what a stupid idea I had! Now I'm stuck! This shirt I wrong side out and I'm stuck!" Riko said panicking a little.

"Riko! Shut up! You're too loud!" Cissnei said, irritated. She was nearly stripped to her underwear and she didn't even care what kind of stupid shit would inevitably leave Zack's lips over this.

"Are you ready Zack? On three you're gonna pull, okay? One…two…pull, pull, pull!" Riko said.

"I'm pulling! I'm pulling! Oh my god you are seriously stuck in this sleeve!" Zack realized.

"I know! Just keep pulling! Oh my god, my wrist is going to fall off!" Riko said.

"God you're both idiots! Here! Give me that!" Cissnei said shoving Zack out of the way and grabbing Riko. Cissnei tugged and pulled at Riko's shirt until she finally got it off…sending Riko into the raised counter above the sink.

"Oooooh shit…" Zack commented as Riko went stumbling into a pile of empty bottles. The clatter and crashing sound was awful. "Okay…do you think anybody heard that? Cissnei that was entirely your fault, but you're almost naked so I won't hold it against you." Zack said.

"Shut the hell up! Pick your shit up and bring it over here! Look you two are making a huge ass mess of snow and crap!" Cissnei hissed at him as she kicked wet clothes toward the washer and dryer.

"You are such a hormonal bitch sometimes." Zack said.

"You're a pain in the ass ALL of the time!" Cissnei said still kicking her clothes across the floor.

"Hey Cissnei…you're underwear doesn't match. You're wearing a blue bra and yellow panties." Zack said picking up part of the wad that was in front of the door.

"Shut up!" Cissnei said throwing her clothes in the washer and slamming the door without thinking. "Damn it! Zack that is your fault!"

"You're so lucky that you get to go to bed with that angel. Of course if you're in to angry sex you're in luck." Zack said to Riko. Riko thought that was hilarious.

"I am going to kill you both in about twelve seconds." She said. "Riko, I'll be upstairs."

"Cissnei? Do you swear when you two make love?" Zack asked her picking up the rest fo the pile of clothes.

"Fuck you!" was the last thing she said as she disappeared up the stairs.

While this mayhem was unfolding downstairs, things were very different upstairs. Tifa sighed. "Did you hear something?" she whispered as Cloud's body sunk into hers.

"I don't think so." he reassured her. She sighed again as she tightened her arms around Cloud. They had both been in a sound sleep until now. Tifa could feel his lips on her neck. She moaned at the feeling of him pushing in to her. She let her hands roam Cloud's body, her blunt fingernails sending chills all over his skin. It didn't take long for a trail of sweat to form on Tifa's spine as her back arched off the sheets beneath her. Cloud had his hands in her hair as his hot breath hit her neck. Cloud groaned for her as Tifa's fingers raked his back. It was a contest of who wanted who more. Cloud could get her panting and heaving for him in no time and right now was no exception. They had established a hard, grinding rhythm. They hadn't even noticed the sound of the guest room shower turning on and the guest room was right beside theirs. Cissnei had not been at all quiet about getting in the shower, with the door slamming behind her and her dropping seemingly a hundred things on the bathroom floor. Cissnei's noise was drowned out by the twisted fusion that Cloud and Tifa had created in their heated moans. Tifa tilted her head backwards, sweat looming on her hairline, and opened her mouth to the ceiling. No sound escaped her, but the way her body writhed against Cloud was enough of a divine response. Every ounce of tension they had created together had exploded in a matter of moments. It was the best feeling ever to be surrounded by the warmth of their covers and the wetness they had created. The very best part of it all…no one in the house knew.

"Oh god that was hot…" Tifa mumbled. Cloud shook his head in agreement against her forehead.

"Tifa…this has been…one hell of a way to start the new year." Cloud finally said laying half on her and half beside her.

"It really has." Tifa said. They would fall back asleep in no time.

Outside this warm sanctuary; Cissnei had wrapped herself in her fleece robe and had buried herself in the blankets on the roll-away bed in the guestroom. She was waiting on Riko to get out of the shower and hoping she would warm up quickly. Zack opened the door to his room as quietly as he could knowing well that Aerith would be asleep. He was still shaking from cold even though he had peeled most of his wet clothes off at the door downstairs. He would have made it across the room and to the shower just fine had he not jammed his knee into the corner of the bed waking Aerith almost instantly. Aerith sat straight up in a slight panic.

"Zack?" Aerith mumbled groggily.

"I'm home and I think I broke my knee. Ooooh damn it that hurt…a lot." Zack said rolling over on the bed. His cold skin touched Aerith's.

"You're so cold! Come here." Aerith said wrapping Zack in the blankets. She wasn't wearing anything and it made her skin cringe as her flesh touched Zack.

"Oh my god you're…thirty-seven flavors of naked." Zack said wrapping cold arms around her. Aerith squealed into the covers now that she was awake at the feeling of his icy hands.

"Zack! You're hands are freezing! What time is it anyway?" Aerith asked as she buried both herself and Zack in their heavy down comforter.

"I don't know for sure. It's close to 5:00 I think." Zack kissed her hard.

"I'm so glad you're back. Did Cissnei and Riko come back too?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah, they're here." Zack said softly letting his lips work their way down Aerith's neck.

"Was it bad out there?" Aerith asked letting her hands rest in black hair.

"It was pretty rough. It was a mess out there but my god you're warm and right now, that is all that matters." Zack said. So much for that shower he was headed for. Aerith laughed. "What time did you go to bed?" Zack asked as his lips crept lower and lower.

"Not long after you left." Aerith answered him. "Is it…still snowing out there?"

"Yeah. It's letting up a little but it's still snowing a lot." Zack said. Aerith was completely distracted as she felt Zack's lips stop on her stomach. She let her head fall sideways as she surrendered to this feeling. She let her hands repeatedly stroke smooth black hair.

"You're going to put me to sleep so quickly." Zack said a bit groggily.

In the guestroom, Cissnei was tired but she couldn't resist the urge to do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper that she found lying on the table beside the roll-away bed. It was one of her quirky habits.

"Hey, Riko what's a four letting word for 'placid body of water'?" she asked chewing on the pen she had found.

"It's 5:00 in the morning, Cissnei are you really going to do that crossword puzzle?" he asked.

"Well of course! It's here and it's undone! But you don't have to help; you can go to sleep." Cissnei said.

"That's so kind of you." He said sarcastically. Cissnei looked positively adorable in her cat eye glasses. Not many people knew that she wore glasses to read up close. It was her little secret. God, if Zack ever found out she wore glasses she knew the librarian jokes would never stop.

Cloud kissed Tifa softly. They were almost asleep yet they weren't. They had been making out like this since they had lost track of the time. Tifa let her hands make small circles on Cloud's shoulders. Everything was so quiet around them…that was until the passionate sound of Aerith broke the silence. Cissnei would pound on Zack for that in the morning.

Hey everyone! I apologize for the super short chapter. Next chapter will be quite a bit longer! I've been really sick lately and I did my best to proof read but if you see something please let me know! Thanks everyone!


	8. Ah, That Zack Fair Smell

"Okay, everything is ready and the griddle is super hot. We are ready for a pancake morning." Tifa said.

"You're so cute when you're all bundled up like that." Cloud said hugging Tifa against him. She did look cute in her oversized sweatshirt and her fleece pants. He kissed her neck as he looked at the spread Tifa had set out on the kitchen counter amongst the mess from last night. This place was a disaster but Aerith had promised to clean up. Tifa laughed at the feeling of Cloud's hair on her neck. It was almost 9:50 and Cloud and Tifa were the only ones up. The smell of coffee brewing would certainly wake everyone up. She and Cloud walked over to the window to look at the blanket of white that covered everything outside. The tips of his fingers played in the elastic band of her pants as they noticed there hadn't been a car come through on the streets. Riko was the first down the stairs on this New Years' Day.

"Morning! Did you sleep okay?" Tifa greeted him.

"Oh are you kidding? Me and Cissnei both slept wonderfully. She just got up; she'll be down shortly. Hey can I check and see if the paper got delivered today?" he asked.

"Sure, just look on the hook to the left side of the door out there." Cloud said. It was apparent just how cold of a new year this was once Riko had opened the door.

"Are you ready for pancakes?" Tifa asked.

"You bet." Riko answered her. It wasn't long before Cissnei appeared. "Hi sleepy." He greeted her.

"Morning." She answered. "Oh is that the paper? Let me do the crossword puzzle!" Cissnei insisted putting on her glasses and searching for a pen. "Shit, did we seriously leave this much of a mess down here last night? I'll volunteer to clean up."

"Don't worry about it. Aerith is going to do it. I didn't know you wore glasses." Tifa said sitting on the couch with Cloud and a cup of coffee.

"Crap…I forgot about these. Oh who cares…yeah I wear glasses." Cissnei said as her boyfriend put one arm around her. "So tell me? Does Zack always pleasure Aerith to the point that she wakes up the entire house?"

"Always." Cloud and Tifa said in near unison. "Did you two want some coffee?" Tifa asked them.

"It's okay. I'll get us some." Riko said standing up.

"Oooh, I see pancake stuff." Zack said as he came down the stairs. Cissnei put her crossword puzzle down and looked up.

"Oh my god…what is that smell? That is…god that's amazing. It's like…fruity and clean and intense and….ooooooh god it's you! Get down here and let me smell you, Zack Fair!" Cissnei said realizing what she was smelling was Zack.

"You like that don't you?" Zack asked.

"I do! But it seems like such a feminine scent for you!" Cissnei said.

"Hey! Don't knock the berry…oh my god you're wearing glasses!" Zack said absolutely delighted.

"Yes, yes…I have glasses." Cissnei said unamused.

"You're wearing glasses! This is…so great! You're like a little scholar only sluttier!" Zack said still in a state of absolute bliss over Cissnei and her glasses.

"I cannot believe you two have to put up with this every freaking day! Sure he may smell like something sent down from heaven to bless our senses but his divine smell does not outweigh his annoying mouth!" Cissnei said.

"You get numb to it after a while." Tifa said.

"Cissnei, I have seen Zack naked more times than I ever care to admit and believe me…if I can put up with that…I can put up with anything…including his berry fresh scent and his obscure pre-10:30 AM comments." Cloud said.

"Cloud, just so you know, you can steal Aerith's berry shower gel any time you want. is the scent of all scents" Zack said.

"And for those reasons, I applaud you for being able to live with him." Cissnei said taking a cup of coffee from Riko. "But Zack you do smell good, honey." She said to him.

"And you look like a professor that wants to do some dirty stuff in the middle of your research papers and Riko is just your lowly grad assistant you wanna do it with." Zack said going into the kitchen and examining all the pancake stuff Tifa had laid out.

"Where the _hell _do you come up with this stuff?" Cissnei asked. "Oh! Hell…that might be a crossword puzzle answer."

"I'm going to start cooking pancakes." Tifa said rubbing Cloud's thigh and getting up from the couch and walking over to her 'pancake station'. "When I tell you, get your plate and line up." Tifa stressed. She turned the heat up a little on the griddle and the first batch of pancakes went on. Aerith was the last to show her face this morning at the ripe time of 10:30.

"Oh my gosh! Pancakes! I want some." She said.

"Zack, listen to this. Steak and lobster for 14 gil tonight at The Chalet. There are coupons in the paper." Riko said.

"Are you serious?" Zack asked him as Aerith put her arms around him.

"Yes! You have to buy two separate dinners to get the deal." Riko explained.

"Look, I know I haven't even had breakfast yet but let's go to The Chalet tonight." Zack said holding on to Aerith. Tifa was nearly finished with the first batch of her wonderful pancakes.

"We can't do that. First, me and Riko look like shit and we sure as hell don't smell like you do. Besides, we will all be too exhausted to do that." Cissnei said.

"No, no listen. You two go home after breakfast and go to bed. Sleep all afternoon, fuck all afternoon…I don't really care. Be back here tonight at 7:30 and we will all go have a wonderful dinner at The Chalet with the amazing coupon Riko found.

"No, dumbass _two _of the six of us will have a wonderful steak and lobster dinner." Cissnei argued with Zack as Tifa made the announcement for everyone to get a plate.

"Not if we go buy two more copies of today's paper! Geez Cissnei, the glasses only make you _look _smart. Cissnei shook her head.

"I would argue with you but you smell too pretty." She said.

"So what does everybody think of that idea?" Zack asked.

"I want to do it!" Aerith said excitedly.

"You really can't beat that price and it's not like we would cook tonight anyway. Can me and Tifa sleep all day too?"Cloud asked Zack.

"Yes! Yes. That's what we're all doing! We are eating Tifa's pancakes and we are all going back to bed." Zack said.

"Oh my god...you had every opportunity to turn that in to one of your…" Tifa's sudden comment inadvertently interrupted Cissnei's thought.

"Did you just lick my finger?" she asked Zack.

"Yeah, your hand was covered in pancake batter from that spoon." Zack said calmly.

"Soooo…you pick up my free hand and lick RAW pancake batter…off of my finger?" Tifa questioned a bit amused and creeped out at the same time.

"Well, yeah. Look, you're all clean now! You wanna be licked anywhere else? Nah, nah…I'm just playin'. I'm just playin'. We'll let…Cloud do that. He's good at it anyway." Zack said.

"Zack, if you're done licking Tifa then I'm saying yes to The Chalet." Cissnei said.

"Then let's go to The Chalet tonight!" Cloud said.

"It sounds like a good plan to me." Riko agreed.

" Great! It's settled then. We'll get a couple more papers later today. Tifa…thanks for making pancakes…and you know…all the food last night and for all the drinks you know how to mix…and….damn it I really should repay you. Tifa, I'm buying your dinner tonight." Zack insisted.

"That's sweet of you honey. That is almost as sweet as you smell." Tifa said handing a now complete and batter-free plate to Zack and putting her hands on his shoulders. "That makes you nervous when I touch your shoulders like that doesn't it?" Tifa asked trying not to laugh.

"Yes…a lot." Zack said.

"Good, I just wanted to creep _you_ out a little bit this time. Could have been worse…I could have licked you." Tifa said patting Zack on the back and returning to her hot griddle.

"Oh my god! That reminds me of this one time I was licking…you know what… never mind. That is not a good morning story. I'll tell that one tonight." Aerith said.

"Hey, let's call Tseng and fuck with him." Cissnei said with her plate in one hand and her phone in the other.

"I need to call Angeal today. Last night one of the Shin-Ra phone operators went home with him. I don't think anything happened though; they were too busy talking about old jazz records." Zack said.

"Are you kidding! Of course something happened! They probably went to his place after the de-icing fiasco, listened to old jazz records, opened a bottle of wine and…stuff ensued. He's Angeal Hewley Zack! If I were a girl that also had the misfortune of being into old jazz records Angeal would be like…my dream guy." Riko said.

"Why wine?" Cloud asked.

"Wine goes with jazz records." Riko answered him.

"Whatever you say, man. See, for me and Tifa its beer and Shark Explorer."

"What's Shark Explorer?" Riko asked. Upon hearing this, Tifa couldn't wait to spread the joy of her favorite show.

"Tseng didn't pick up so I left him a degrading and explicit phone message." Cissnei said.

"You have to dress kind of nice for The Chalet, right?" Riko asked finishing his pancakes.

"Kind of. You just can't wear jeans." Zack answered him.

It didn't take long for breakfast to be concluded. The kitchen was now three times worse than it was before. Tifa couldn't help but wonder if she would ultimately end up cleaning the house. It was true Aerith love a clean house but so many times she made promises of cleaning that never happened. She was good about doing laundry though and she always made such beautiful flower arrangements for the table.

"Alright, so 7:30 tonight? We're going to go get our stuff and take off." Cissnei said taking her plate over to the already very full sink.

"Get some rest you two and be careful out there on the roads. The busses are probably only running limited routes today." Zack cautioned them. Cissnei then hurried upstairs to get their things. It didn't take them long to get out the door and on their way back to Riko's apartment in town.

"I am so exhausted. I'm not even taking this plate over to the sink." Zack said.

"I'm ready to go to bed." Tifa asked yawning.

"Me too." Aerith agreed with her.

"Okay, I'm leaving everything as it is and me and Cloud are going back to bed." Tifa said pulling him up from the couch.

"You know it must be nice that he lives right there in town." Cloud said holding on to Tifa's hand. He's so close to everything. I mean, not that we aren't close to stuff but he's just right in the middle of everything."

"You know he lives in the penthouse suite of the 340 building, right? I mean, it's seriously a penthouse suite; he has to put a key in the elevator to get to his floor." Zack said.

"Are you serious? I didn't know he lived there." Cloud said making his way toward the stairs with Tifa.

"Oh yeah, Riko is loaded, man. His parents owned the lower third of the property where the Shin-Ra building sits. Shin-Ra bought that from his family to build the facility, obviously. They paid a hell of a lot of money for that property. If I were Cissnei, I would fuck my way right in to that family. We all need to get to him to invite us over because that penthouse is unbelievable. Damn…I cannot move from this couch right now." Zack said.

"Well, we're going to bed. We'll be up by 5:30." Cloud said as he and Tifa disappeared upstairs.

Aerith laid her head on Zack's lap. It was apparent neither of them was leaving this couch any time soon. "Mmm…you know what that smell always reminds me of?" Aerith asked letting her hands slips into Zack's.

"I know exactly what it reminds you of. Why do you think I have never stopped using your shower gel?

"After a while I just kind of thought you liked it." Aerith laughed. It had been the prefect scent to lose her virginity to that night that seemed so long ago.


	9. Seeing Red

Tifa stood in front of the closet flipping through what seemed like a million things. She had no idea what to wear tonight.

"What are you wearing?" She asked Cloud. Not that it would help her any.

"Um…I don't know…those black pants and something I think." Cloud said. Tifa left their bedroom and walked down the hall. Zack and Aerith's door was open so she walked in.

"Hey, what are you wearing tonight?" Tifa asked Aerith.

"This." Aerith said showing Tifa what she had laid on the bed.

"That's pretty." Tifa said letting her hands touch the lovely cashmere sweater dress that Aerith had picked out.

"Will you help me put my curlers in?" Aerith asked.

"Do you have time for those?" Tifa questioned looking at the clock.

"If you help me!" Aerith insisted.

"Well, I guess I could do my makeup on the bus. Okay, come here. Let's make this quick." Tifa said. That was a shame…Tifa wanted to do her make and wash her hair here at the house before they left. Helping Aerith do this, she wouldn't have time. The phone rang and it was obvious that neither Tifa nor Aerith would be getting that. Someone had gotten it though because it stopped ringing. "I've got this side." Tifa said starting to wrap Aerith's hair around the hot rollers.

"Hey, can anybody hear me?" Cloud called from the other room.

"Yeah!" Aerith yelled back.

"That was Riko, he and Cissnei are running late. They moved our reservation back to 8:15." Cloud said.

"Okay!" Aerith and Tifa yelled back. There was the solution that Tifa needed. She had just bought some extra time to wash her own hair. She continued rolling one side of Aerith's hair while Aerith worked on the other side.

"What coat are you wearing with that?" Tifa asked.

"About that…can I borrow your gray one?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. I wasn't going to wear that one anyway. In fact, you can have that one if you want it because I don't wear it much." Tifa said.

"Check it out. How metro am I? I'm going to wear this lavender shirt. I think it says…I have style AND a girlfriend. Hold on, I'll be right back." Zack said.

"That's great, Zack. You…be metro." Tifa said. It didn't take him long to change.

"Okay, look. Now, people will look at me and say oh, he has amazing fashion sense; I bet he's with that blond guy. Then, they will clearly see me shove my hand up Aerith's dress and say oooh he's straight." Zack said.

"You better be glad you're sexy because sometimes I don't understand why you say the things you say." Tifa said.

"Are you saying you like the lavender? Like, you'd hit this if it were available?" Zack asked. Tifa laughed and shook her head. "Tifa, when you're laying all alone in your bed…topless with your hand down your panties…thinking about me in my lavender shirt…you just remember…I'm five inches _taller_ than Cloud. You can figure out the rest." Zack said. Aerith and Tifa were both laughing at him.

"Zack…you are so stupid. There your hair is rolled. I'm going to go get dressed. Oh and honey, if size mattered…Aerith would have left you a long time ago. I tease, honey. You know I love ya." Tifa said leaving the room and returning to her own room to sift through her closet. She noticed Cloud had something thrown out on the bed.

"Hey, I think…you should have all the thunder tonight." Cloud said putting his arms around Tifa's shoulders. She smiled.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"This is going to sound mean but…upstage Aerith. Please? You can do it so easily. Let's face it you're the hotter one." Cloud said kissing her neck.

"I can't do that!" Tifa said still trying hopelessly to find something to put on.

"Yes you can. I know you don't like attention on you but just this once…just this once upstage her." Cloud begged her. "Here, you go wash your hair and I'll even pick out what you're going to wear." Tifa turned around and took Cloud in her arms.

"Okay, but I'm only doing this for you." She said.

"You deserve to have the spotlight for once even though you don't ever want it." Cloud said. Tifa's face turned a little pink. He was right. Tifa kissed him before leaving to wash her hair.

"I can't wait to see what you pick." Tifa said as she turned the water on. Zack's cell phone rang as Aerith started pulling curlers out of her hair.

"Zack, I can't get that." Aerith said. He managed to get to it before his voice mail picked up.

"Hi Angeal!" Zack said excitedly. "Yes, I know I should have called you back at least five hours ago. So, what's going on with you?" Zack listened to Angeal talk away while he watched Aerith shake her hair out. He was hanging on every word and Aerith couldn't wait to hear about this conversation when Zack hung up the phone.

Meanwhile, a towel wrapped Tifa examined what Cloud had chosen for her to wear tonight. She giggled at what he had selected for her. "Are you serious?" she asked seeing that Cloud was already dressed.

"Of course I'm serious!" Cloud insisted. Tifa put her hands on his shoulders and then ran her fingers down the edges of his pale blue shirt before buttoning it up.

"And what happens if I freeze to death?" she insisted; looking at the thin fabric.

"It has long sleeves. Besides…I'll keep you warm." Cloud said hugging her against him.

"You promise?" Tifa asked; her face lighting up.

"I promise." Cloud reassured her. There was nothing more show stopping than a woman in a red dress and tonight Tifa was going to be _that_ woman.

"I'll get dressed then. Cissnei and Riko will be here soon." Tifa said releasing Cloud. She knew she had to hustle since the time was slipping away. Aerith was dressed and ready to go and Zack was still on the phone with Angeal.

"Hey Tifa do you have…wow. Oh my…wow. You look…I can't even put in to words. You're just gorgeous." Aerith said.

"Thanks, Cloud picked it out. Here's that coat, by the way." Tifa said handing her gray coat over to Aerith.

"Come on, Zack's talking to Angeal and I'm just dying for him to tell us everything Angeal is saying." Aerith said. "By the way…does Cloud know what you're wearing under that dress?"

"He doesn't. But I can assure you that he will before this night is over." Tifa said. Aerith laughed and lead Tifa downstairs. The four of them weren't downstairs long before Cissnei and Riko arrived.

"You picked out Tifa's dress didn't you?" Zack asked Cloud.

"Yeah…how did you know that?" Cloud wondered.

"Well it's like….science…a man will always pick out a red dress for a woman. You did good." Zack said as he and Cloud were the last ones out the door.

"How is that at all related to science?" Cloud asked.

"Because! In science…you know…there is scientific stuff that always happens and in guys like you and me red dresses always happen." Zack explained.

"Zack, that makes no sense at all…its okay though we're just going to get on the bus without science." Cloud said.

"Hey, sorry we were running late." Cissnei said as they made the short walk to the bus stop.

"It's okay, Cissnei. You were probably just too busy laying around with your legs apart." Zack told her.

"What would you do if I actually said yes that's why we're running late? Because, I couldn't keep my legs closed?" Cissnei asked as they waited at the bus stop.

"I would grab Riko by the shoulders and tell him that he was a hell of a lot more of a man than I was because I couldn't wait to go back to sleep." Zack confessed.

"Well, we forgot to set our alarm clock." Riko said. Thank goodness the bus arrived in a timely manner because it was miserably cold out here tonight.

"When we get to The Chalet will you two walk in with me and Aerith so I can go up to the host and say hi I'm Zack and this is the triple threat?" Zack asked Tifa and Cissnei.

"No, you're going to walk in with Riko so he can say this is what I do in my free time. And me, Tifa and Aerith are going to walk in with Cloud so he can say blonds _do_ have more fun."

"That's good, Cissnei. I don't have a comeback for that. Oh my god…you win. You totally get to win this one. But you just wait Cissnei…you just wait." Zack said now completely hell-bent on revenge. The bus was drafty as it made its stops along snow covered streets. For some reason, this ride reminded Tifa of the time she and Cloud had spent on the city bus on a rainy night in August. She pulled her coat tighter around her as she thought about that night. It was hard to believe that here they were five months later. Once they had finally gotten to their destination; Zack couldn't wait to reveal all the juicy Angeal details since he hadn't said a word since Angeal had called.

"I'm sure the host was thinking oh god they have coupons let's stick them in this back….that is one hell of a rack on you." Cissnei said as Tifa took off her coat. "Red is clearly your color." Cissnei said putting her coat on the back of her chair. Tifa smiled at her but quickly hid herself in the corner behind Cloud.

"So, let me tell you about Angeal…I know Cloud and Tifa hate Angeal so they will like this story. But I feel sorry for the guy." Zack said.

"I can tell this is going to end badly, so I better order something strong to drink." Riko said.

"Believe me, this ends horribly." Zack said. "And I'm not drinking a thing tonight."

"Yeah, me neither." Aerith said.

"Shit, bring on the alcohol as far as I'm concerned. Oh! Damn our waiter is right there and now he has heard me say shit and damn. Hi, we have coupons for the steak and lobster tonight so that's what we all want. We're the kind of group that you people dread because it looks like we have money for this kind of place but we stroll in here on New Year's Day with coupons because it's the only time we can afford to eat here. I'm Cissnei and if you will be so kind to bring me a Long Island iced tea I promise I'll stop talking." Cissnei said to the waiter. He found that rather amusing. Leave it to her to take charge and possibly ruin their reputation at the same time.

"One of you three might have to sleep with him before the night is over and right now it's looking like Cissnei is going to be the one. Tifa, when he comes back smooth things over by pushing your bra up and Aerith you brush your hand over his hip and laugh at something he says even if it's dumb. Okay, so Angeal..." Zack said.

"Wait...I think that waiter might be gay. When he walked over here he put his hand on my shoulder the way you do when you're practicing being gay." Cloud said.

"Alright, so clearly he's into blonds. Tifa, forget your chest...Cloud you smooth things over by doing the Aerith thing I mentioned and then I'll swoop in with my overall charm. See, this is proof that gay for practice WORKS!" Zack said defending himself.

"I have an even better idea...how about we do none of that and we just...order like we're all normal." Tifa couldn't help but laugh.

"It's a wonderful idea." Cloud said putting his hand on hers.

"Now, Angeal..." Zack said.

"Oh after you tell the Angeal thing, I'm going to tell the Tseng thing!"

"Hold on...Angeal is your friend, Cloud is your friend, and I'm your friend. Does this mean you tell others stuff we tell you?" Riko asked.

"Man, neither you nor Cloud has ever told me anything like this...so no." Zack said.

"On okay, I feel safe now." Riko said. Cissnei gasped.

"I know what he did! Ooooh my god! I know what you're going to tell!" she said, her eyes as round as the moon. It had somehow just dawned on her.

"You don't know! How could you possibly know?" Zack asked.

"Because...I think the thing that you are going to tell has happened before...more than once." Cissnei said.

"Then you tell it and I'll see if you get it right." Zack said. Cissnei smiled.

"Well, let's just say Angeal is a little like superman...more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...oh and the most important one...faster than a speeding bullet, if you know what I mean." Cissnei said. Tifa laughed but then quickly buried her face in her hands.

"On my god! That _was_ the thing! How do you possibly know that?" Zack had to know.

"I'm a Turk Zack, we know things...lots of things. Shit, she's still laughing." Cissnei said pointing at Tifa.

"You're so mean, Tifa. What if Cloud had that problem? Then what? Aerith would not share this with you." Zack said. That only made her laugh harder. "Yeah, you keep laughing but if Cloud ever does have that problem. You will go crying to Aerith. Just make sure our video camera is charged up for when things go too far between you two. I want to know about Tseng now, what's going on with his suit-wearing self?"

"It's no secret that Tseng used to have a major, major soft spot for Aerith. You all did know that right?" Cissnei asked. "As in, the only time I've ever seen Tseng show any emotion other than 'suit and tie' was when he found out that you, Zack, slept with her. And oh my god, he cried...he cried for a day or more over that. He was so mad at you. See what you put me through Zack! God! Anyway, he called this afternoon. And had he not called, me and Riko wouldn't be sitting here right now. He starts telling me about this girl that he is apparently with 'officially'. He's going on and on about her and he tells me that she is the Aerith Gainsborough that he never had. I've never heard Tseng be that much of a sap before! See, my story was happy. Well, I guess Zack's story was too if you're Tifa.

"I have to defend Zack on this one." Aerith said. "I am the one that asked him if he wanted to spend the night with me...which translates do you want to sleep with me. I clearly came on to him. All he did was say yes." Aerith confessed.

"It wouldn't have mattered, Aerith. Tseng was absolutely crushed. One of the first things he said was damn it Zack Fair can you keep nothing in your pants! Except he said is all angry and depressed-like."

"That was the same day I lost my keys, his keys, my wallet, my phone, my ID card, and a nine volt battery. Since all those things also were coincidentally in my pants that is likely why he said that." Zack said remembering that day.

"Okay Cloud, now you tell us something interesting about someone on the infantry floor!" Riko said. Cloud thought for a moment.

"Um...right before New Years on one of the nights I was working overtime some guard left a sandwich out on the break room table and I think someone else took it because he was pretty pissed about it going missing. I'm sorry, that's all I got. We are really boring down there."

"Oh Cloud, you have got to get into SOLDIER this year because the SOLDIER floor is where all the sex, drugs, and rock and roll is!" Zack said wrapping an arm around Aerith.

"It's also where my casserole dish is and I want it back!" Cissnei said.

"Oh god, here it comes...she's been all about this casserole dish for a week." Riko said.

"What casserole dish?" Zack wondered.

"It's clear glass! It sets in a basket and it has a burgundy lid that says 'Cissnei'!" she grabbed her purse and pulled out the page of a catalog with a picture circled of such a dish. "See?" This is the missing dish!"

"Oooh, I want one of those! It's cute!" Aerith said taking the page from Cissnei.

"I will make a deal with you right now. If you call Angeal and nonchalantly ask how _fast_ his night went last night I will get you a new casserole dish that says Cissnei." Cloud said.

"You drive a hard bargain Cloud Strife. I like that in a man which is why I will totally call Angeal!" Cissnei said digging through her purse for her phone. Cloud laughed at her and took the catalog page from Aerith.

"Wow! It is cute!" Tifa said. At the same time she wondered why Aerith was carrying this page around with her.

"You can expect your dish in seven to ten business days." Cloud said folding up the paper.

"And you can expect some a good old fashion discreet humiliation of Angeal Hewley!" Cissnei said happily.

"I have mean friends but...oh Cloud get ready to be gay, here comes the waiter with our food." Zack said.

"I am not going to be gay with you! Oh crap, I think I said that too loud and he heard me." Cloud said. "Tifa, I might have to pull a Zack here and shove my hand up your dress." Like she would ever complain about that…


	10. The Study Guide

"Come on hurry. They are upstairs doing girl stuff." Zack said sitting on the couch with Cloud.

"Changing clothes? You think changing clothes is girl stuff? Cloud asked.

"You know what I mean!" Zack insisted.

"So, what did you want to ask me about? It's late and I really want to go to bed." Cloud said.

"You're not going to go to bed, you're going to fuck….that's not important right now. What I need to ask you is something I have been racking my brain about for…well a hell of a long time.' Zack said.

"And if you've been thinking about it so long then why are you just now asking me?" Cloud wondered.

"Because, I was hoping to figure it out on my own! Here's the problem, Cloud. You…put your tongue between Tifa's legs and she goes freaking crazy for you. I put my tongue between Aerith's legs and she…she's just like…yeah, okay when's the main attraction start. Cloud, I've been with eleven women and…" Cloud cut Zack off.

"What the! Eleven! Eleven? You told me seven!" Cloud said in a bit of a squeaky voice.

"Well, I lied! Can't you tell when I'm lying?" Zack asked him.

"No, I can't." Cloud said still shocked at hearing the real number.

"Okay, from now on…when I lie I always tilt my head this way and do this with my hand. But you know what, I'm getting sidetracked! That's not important right now! Anyway…" Cloud cut Zack off again.

"Does Aerith know that's the real number?" Cloud asked him.

"Oh god, she's known since the first time _we_ slept together. Anyway, my point is I've been with eleven women and I can't for the life of me…figure out what I'm doing wrong!" Zack insisted.

"Why is this just now a problem for you?" Cloud wondered. It was a fair question since Zack had never asked this before.

"It's a long story but let's just say Riko asked me something tonight and I told him to ask you because I wasn't any good at _that_. So don't be surprised if he calls you later. You have a gift Cloud. You gotta help me. What am I doing wrong?" Zack asked.

"You're twenty-two…you told me you didn't lose your virginity until you were nineteen. That means you've had an average of three sexual partners each year until you met Aerith. Hmm, that actually sounds conservative now that I've done the math." Cloud said still thinking this through.

"Cloud, focus man! Focus!" Zack begged him.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry. Give me that piece of paper over there and that pen." Cloud said pointing to the table in front of them that was still piled up from all of their New Year's Eve festivities.

"In case, Zack, you haven't yet figured it out, a woman's body is like holding a loaded semi-automatic handgun…when it fires; the next bullet is already in the barrel." Cloud said quickly sketching on the paper.

"My god, Cloud…you're a genius." Zack said completely intrigued.

"Look at my diagram. Let's forget about number one…the obvious and let's focus on two, three and four." Cloud said.

"Wait…there are four places to consider just…_there_ alone?" Zack asked wide-eyed.

"Yeah, do you not listen to Aerith at all when you're…down there?" Cloud asked.

"Of course I listen to her! But my god Cloud, four places! She's never…" Cloud cut him off again.

"Listen, you have to make her body work in sync instead of one pleasurable sensation fighting another. Every woman is different. Really, you of all people should know that. What Tifa likes, won't necessarily be what Aerith likes but the basic premise is the same." Cloud said.

"I cannot believe this is happening. You've been with one woman…I've been with eleven. How the hell could you possibly know more than me? I mean, I have done some stuff, Cloud." Zack said. Cloud laughed at him.

"Yes, you've been with a lot more women than I have…ten more in fact. But Zack, of all the women you've been with how many of them have you actually _savored_? How many of them have you actually said to yourself wow I need to memorize every curve of this woman's body; I need to learn what drives this woman wild?" Cloud asked him sincerely.

"One…and I'm obviously not as good as I would like to be with that one." Zack admitted pointing up the stairs.

"Exactly. Now me? I've been with one and I know everything about the one…everything. And when I'm done with you, you are in for one hell of a night." Cloud said.

"Oh my god, what are you going to teach me?" Zack insisted with wildly curious eyes.

"Nothing. Aerith is going to teach you. I'm just giving you the study guide." Cloud said. It didn't take Cloud ten minutes to show Zack everything he needed to know. After this crash course, he could finally go upstairs. It was late, after all and tonight's dinner had been nothing short of hilarious. Cissnei had proved a hundred times over that she never, ever cut Tseng a break not even for a minute and Cloud wondered why Zack had thought Cissnei would have _ever_ been even a halfway decent match for him.

"Hey, where have you been?" Tifa asked as Cloud closed their door.

"Downstairs talking to Zack. What are you watching?" Cloud wondered.

"Oh, those elephants are mating. They are endangered so it's a big deal that this act is documented. It's African Savannah style porn. Oh my god, look what happens when that one is on its back!" Tifa said.

"You want to see what happens when I'm on my back? Wow, I didn't even know elephants could do that kind of freaky stuff." Cloud asked her. Tifa laughed.

"Yes, they can apparently get freaky on the Savannah and I would love to see what happens when you're on your back." Tifa said watching Cloud change his clothes.

"What are you looking at?" he asked her looking over his shoulder at Tifa.

"I'm looking at you in hopes you'll get naked a little faster." Tifa said throwing the TV remote beside her and rolling on her side. Cloud smiled.

"I had fun tonight and I could tell that complete strangers thought you looked amazing. Of course now…you look even more amazing." Cloud said as Tifa shed her oversized t-shirt to the floor revealing nothing underneath it. "We still have the camera in here. Can I take your picture

just like that?" Cloud asked. She wore only his boxers.

"Of course you can." Tifa said still waiting for Cloud to strip his clothes off.

Two doors down the hall Zack was sitting on the edge of the bed and Aerith was wrapped in pink satin reading a book. Aerith looked up from her chapter. "What's wrong, baby? You've been sitting there staring at the TV for…like ten minutes now." Aerith said.

"Huh? Oh um…yeah, yeah. Sure. I'm…I'm fine! There's…nothing wrong with me! I know how to do stuff, I'm completely open to the power of learning!" Zack said nervously.

"Huh?" Aerith said in confusion.

"Sorry it's just that…Aerith you know that…you can…tell me stuff that I'm doing wrong, right?" Zack asked her.

"Aww, is this about how I told you that you need to ask for directions more often? I'm sorry Zack, it's just that you got us so lost that one time and you are just like every other man that won't ask for directions." Aerith said putting her book aside and crawling down to the bottom of the bed where Zack was sitting. She awkwardly worked her way onto his lap put her arms around him. "I love you." She said kissing him and pushing him backwards underneath her. He let his hands get lost in soft layers of satin.

"I love you too." Zack said softly as he untied the belt on her pink robe. "Lay down." He asked of her as he pushed her robe off her shoulders. Aerith smiled and pulled her naked body up their bed until she situated herself into a mound of pillows. She reached over and turned out the lamp that she was reading by. Zack felt nervous but he didn't know why. He looked at Aerith's beautiful, flawless, naked form as if he had never seen her naked before. He fixed his eyes on hers and rubbed her thighs slowly. He pushed her thighs apart and shifted his eyes between her legs. Licking his lips, he hoped he would get a much different response from Aerith than what he typically got from her.

Back in Cloud and Tifa's room things had got pretty heated pretty quickly. Tifa's body rose off the mattress with Cloud in a heated fury. It was rough, it was hard, and it was making Tifa hungry for more. "Harder, do it harder…god…as hard as you can." Tifa panted at him.

"What…what if…I hurt you?" Cloud asked with concern in his voice but at the same time dying to honor her request.

"You won't. Come on…please…please…god get so rough with me." Tifa pleaded softly.

Zack had never heard Aerith moan like that. Well, he _had _heard her moan like that; just not while he was doing _this_. The sounds that escaped her enthralled him like never before simply because he had never gotten this kind of response from her. It was exactly what he wanted and the truth was he didn't give a shit if she did anything in return. He could feel her hands buried in a sea of black hair but there was something different about the way her fingers laid amongst the layers...they were nearly limp. He knew however, if he kept this up at the rate he was going, and he intended to do just that; he was going to have to cover Aerith's face with one of the pillows around her. There was no doubt that she was barely scraping the surface as to how loud she could really get.

"Oh, Zack...Zack...Zack..." Aerith gasped as her hands slipped out of Zack's hair and came to rest on her abdomen. He moved her hands up to her stomach and quickly shot his eyes up to the pillows that surrounded her, making a mental note as to which one was nearest to grab. He knew that he would need it quite soon. Zack wrapped his hands around Aerith's limp fingers as her body resisted marvelously against him. Beads of sweat formed on her stomach as she whimpered and cried mercilessly for him. She warned him, over and over she warned him but Zack didn't care. He knew he had her so close to coming there was no way in hell he was going stop there. Zack reached up and buried her face in the pillow beside her…of all times…now was the time she needed it.

Zack let his forehead rest on her abdomen. It was a shame no one else could see the combination of shock and awe on his face right now. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, anything! Her body trembled against him. Finally, he moved the pillow from her face. He had to see her as his body hovered over hers.

"Aerith…Aerith look at me…look at me." Zack said putting a hand on the side of her face. She had never looked so weak. Everything he needed to say right now that he couldn't was instead said in his kiss.

Tifa looked down at the sloppy, smeared mess that covered her stomach and her ribs. She slowly pulled one finger through the heavy trail and closed her eyes as she put her finger in her mouth. The sight of it nearly made Cloud faint. "Hold on, I'll clean you up." Cloud said slowly getting up to get a wet cloth to wipe Tifa down. Tifa watched as he straddled her and wiped the warm washcloth over her. "You're going to be sore tomorrow." He said.

"I'm a little sore right now…I'll be screaming tomorrow. It's so worth it." Tifa said. "You know how to rock a headboard."

"You know how to…how to fuck. My god, look at you…you're so perfect right now." Cloud said. Tifa just smiled at him. "We didn't drink at all tonight. You want something now?"

"Yeah, okay. That sounds like a good idea." Tifa said. Cloud searched the floor for the nearest thing to put on to go downstairs. "I'll light a few of our candles. Why not? You know?"

"Don't put any clothes on and I promise to take mine off again." Cloud told her.

"I promise I won't." Tifa said.

Zack was lying on top of Aerith staring at her intently. "Zack…" Aerith began.

"Hmm?" Zack responded before kissing her again. She wrapped Zack in her arms.

"That was…unlike anything…" Aerith was going to say more but she was so lost in her own calm and serenity.

"It _was_ unlike anything…Aerith you're so…you're just…you're body is incredible. I've never seen you like that." Zack admitted.

"_You _were incredible." Aerith said putting a hand on Zack's face and hiding her nose in black hair. "But…I think it should be _your_ turn now."

"No, no, no…not tonight. It's all about you." Zack insisted. That was proof he was still in a state of disbelief over tonight's lesson. Thank you, Cloud.


End file.
